High School Hurts
by Desepere Romantique
Summary: Even after all the panic from Paris is over, Katey Douglas's life is still a mass of confusion, especially her relationships. Now that she's mixed up over everything, she's contemplating giving up life, and heading back to Paris 1871, for good. COMPLETE
1. Church

**I lied! **

**I have to admit; I missed Miss Katey and writing about this Katlyn person isn't making me feel any better.**

**So, to fill up this empty spot that resides within my heart, I'm going to write about the rest of her High School years. **

**After Francois died and before she was married. **

**------------------**

I was released from that stupid purgatory after six more weeks, and turns out Brad was wrong about the kids at school being afraid of me.

In fact, they seemed more in awe of the fact that I had broken one of the Ten Commandments and committed one of the seven sins, wrath. I hadn't even thought of that until the first day back, and I knew exactly where I was going after school let out; church.

Being a devout Catholic like my family was, we went to confession as soon as we sinned. The rule for our family was, when you sin, you don't have to confess to your parents, but you had to confess to Father Brian or Father Daniel, whoever was there in the booth.

"You need to go where now?" Clair asked as she started up her Nova, whose tires had since been replaced by her mom and dad, instead of stealing Zach's sisters.

"The church; I have to go confess." I said, buckling myself.

"Why?"

"Because I broke the Ten Commandments: I murdered." I said, digging through my purse for my rosary beads.

"Oh my God, Katey. It was self preservation! We saw you!" She said, pulling out.

"Yeah, but I still killed him."

"I really don't think God's going to mind much. Psychopath Franc would have killed you had you not done that cool James Bond bit with the fake-out thing."

"Yes He will! I should have asked for one of the Father's to come to the hospital so I could tell him… oh I'm so dumb…"

"Katey…chill out. It's going to be fine! Father won't mind." She said, not using the pastor's name. She wasn't Catholic, but Methodist, so her church service was much more relaxed than mine, and addressed her pastor by first name; something that had shocked me the first time I had gone.

"I'll wait in the pews for you." She said, walking inside the building with me, not dipping her hand in the holy water and crossing herself as I did.

Even though she had attended mass with me plenty of times before, just as I did with her, my church still amazed her by the strictness of the dress code Sunday mornings and the one room with all the pews instead of a ton of smaller rooms with comfortable folding chairs and card tables with worn paper back bibles.

"Alright. But, wait, you should go back outside and call my mom; she might get worried if I'm not home soon." I said. She nodded and went back outside, and I waited in the line in front of the confessions booth.

The line of four people went by slowly, but eventually it was my turn.

"Hello Father." I said, as I sat down inside, closing the door behind me.

"Hello, Katey; is there something you would like to tell me today?" Father Daniel asked. I had always liked him best; he seemed so much like Santa Claus, minus the white hair and belly, that I couldn't resist always thinking of him as a second father

"Yes, Father. As you might have heard, I've broken one of the Ten Commandments…"

"Ah yes… I had heard about that. My daughter, unless Mr. Brock Freeman on Fox news left something out, I believe the Lord will forgive you." He said lightly.

I bowed my head.

"Father, that's the thing. There's more to it than what my friends covered for me. Yes, Father, they lied about what truly happened, so that I wouldn't be deemed a mad woman."

He stayed silent, waiting for me to continue. I bit my lip, debating on whether I should tell Father Daniel. After five seconds the words seemed to be trying to force their way out of my mouth, so I let them flow out, and I revealed the truth of what happened, telling my entire story about the coma.

By the end of it tears started at the corners of my eyes, blurring my vision until one fell.

Father Daniel was still silent, and I asked in a small voice "Father, is what happened to me sin? Because if it was, I would have done what I could to have prevented anything from happening… but I didn't know and…"

He cut me off saying softly "My daughter, what happened to you was traumatic, and it is by God's grace that you survived it all. You bore more than a fully grown man could bear, and I am sure than God will forgive you."

I hadn't realized it, but I had been holding my breath, waiting for his ruling. I let it out gratefully, and crossed myself.

"God bless you, child." He said through the screen, and I crossed myself.

"Amen." I said, and opened the door to the candle lit church.

Clair was waiting in one of the pews, kneeling on the bar that was lowered, and was staring up at the big crucifix that was hung from the ceiling over the alter.

I kneeled beside her and whispered "I was forgiven."

She didn't look over at me, but simply stared straight up at Jesus with her hands folded. She might have been in prayer, but even the Methodist's bow their heads when speaking with God, so I knew something had to have been amiss.

"Clair, are you alright?" I asked softly, and she finally turned her face to me, her eyes brimmed with tears that threatened to fall and smear her mascara.

"Do you…do you think that I can talk to your priest?" she asked, her voice cracking.

I hadn't ever heard Clair ask to confess before, and it shocked me. She went to church, but mostly because her parents forced her to, and she hadn't ever really taken religion seriously before; something that I had learned to accept.

"Of course you can… but… why? I thought you had said that if you needed to be forgiven by God you didn't have to ask someone who wasn't God."

"Don't ask…I just…want to…talk to him, okay?" she sniffed, and I nodded, pointing out the booth.

She stood up and walked swiftly past me, opening to the door to the booth, now that there was no more line.

I watched her go in, and then dropped to my knees, grabbing my rosary beads that I had put back in my purse.

I stared up at the giant cross, instead of bowing my head, and wondered what on earth Clair had to confess about.

Had she actually done a sin? Or was she worried about something? It had to have been big; otherwise she wouldn't have even considered going to confess to my priest.

I stayed there for a little bit before I remembered to make the sign of the cross and start in with the Apostle's Creed.

"I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord,

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;

He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge…" I was stopped by Clair coming and sitting in the pew behind me, looking as though nothing had happened. I stopped in the middle of my prayer and sat back next to her.

"Are you alright now?" I asked, and she did a half nod-shrug. I waited for an actual response, but after a few moments of waiting I got nothing more.

"Do you want to recite the rosary? That's what you're supposed to do after confession…"

"Um…is that supposed to help you be forgiven?" she asked tentatively.

"Of course it is! Now here, kneel next to me and hold onto the rosary beads, seeing as you don't have any." I said, kneeing back on the pew. She followed suit and kneeled beside me, grasping my jet beads which had previously belonged to my grandmother.

"Now you stay silent, and I'll recite aloud for you." I said, and began the Apostle's Creed, then 'Our Father', then got no further than the beginning of the second Hail Mary before the doors to the church opened.

I paused for a second, but kept going.

"Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus…"

"Katey, Clair…" said a familiar voice, but I held up a finger, stopping them.

"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen." I finished before looking back up.

My stomach jittered when I saw who it was.

"Hey, Ethan." I said, smiling. "You need to come pray, too?" I patted the pew next to me.

"Nah, I came to tell you that your mom wants you back home." He said, sitting down anyway.

"Mom? But she knows I'm here…" I said, sitting back next to him, my stomach still going the Cha-Cha Slide.

He hadn't said anything else about that day in the hospital, and so neither had I, even though the next day Clair lagged behind and had questioned me mercilessly about why Ethan had come out looking so embarrassed.

I didn't know why I didn't want to tell anyone, but it might have had something to do with the fact that I wasn't sure if I had imagined it; seeing as at the time I was delirious with pain meds.

"Well, she said she needed you home…" He said, and I shrugged, standing up.

"I'll give you a ride home, Katey." Clair offered, standing up next to me.

"'Kay. See you tomorrow, Ethan." I said.

The ride home was silent, and the only words we exchanged were 'byes' and 'see you tomorrow.'

It wasn't that unusual for us not to speak, and I figured that the reason for her silence was because she was reflecting on her reason for going to confession, but when after she dropped me off and turned around, heading in the opposite direction to her house, I got curious.

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**Well, first chapter back and already there's something going on. **

**Or is there? **

**Dun Dun Dun… **

**Please Review! **


	2. Abby's Idea

**Next chapter! **

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I walked in the door, trying to stop myself from jumping to conclusions about why she wasn't heading back home… maybe she had to go get gas, seeing as the station was a little ways away in that direction. Maybe she needed to go to the grocery store… or CVS…or…or…

"Hey mom." I said, kicking off my heels in the entry way, thus shrinking two inches.

My mom looked up from where she was reading, most likely, some sappy romance novel on the couch. "Hey, sweetie; you're back soon."

"Soon?" I asked confusedly.

"Yeah, I told Ethan to tell you to be back around five. And speaking of him…when on Earth is that boy going to ask you out on a date?"

I blushed. "Mom…it'll happen when it happens and not any sooner." I groaned, and went up to my room.

I honestly couldn't figure out why that woman had to always be so concerned with my personal life… I mean, really. It was like she knew something I didn't.

Although I had to agree with her on the fact that she was curious as to why he hadn't asked me out…

"Stop it." I commanded myself aloud as I shut my door with my back pressed against it. "Just because you imagined it while you were deluded with pain meds doesn't mean it happened. He likes you no more than a friend."

I flung my bag against my egg chair with a bit more force than necessary, and sank down on my bed.

My mind wouldn't shut up about Ethan. I had to have been going crazy, because no matter what I tried to think about that might set my mind on another train of thought, the tracks always led back around to him.

I grabbed my pillow and thrust it against my face, hopping to smother the thought of him away.

But it was no use. I sat up and flung my pillow against the wall and stormed over to my stereo and flipped it on, turning it up.

"There's a strange exhilaration…In such total detestation…It's so pure, so strong!" I was singing at the top of my lugs, and soon there was a knock at my door.

"Katey? Are you okay?" Mom asked as she came in.

I hit the pause button.

"Yes, mom; I'm okay, just practicing for when I make it big." I flashed a hundred watt smile that was a hundred percent fake. Mom looked a little hesitant.

"Well, keep it down, your father's trying to work." She said, backing out of the room "And you're just a tad bit off key." She added before closing the door.

I waited for a moment before exhaling and turning back on Wicked, continuing on with singing at the top of my lungs.

Not that it worked, keeping him out of my head.

I made it to the beginning of 'Dancing Through Life' before dad opened my door.

"Katey… I'm trying to work here!" he said over Fiyero, making it sound like he was yelling.

I sighed and grabbed the knob, turning it down to where I usually had it.

"There you go, dad." I said with a little edge to my voice. I hadn't meant it to come out that way, but sometimes it slipped out when I was a little irritated.

"Katey Anne Douglas, don't use that tone with me." He said. Evidently I wasn't the only one here who was irked.

I checked my words before they came out.

"Sorry, dad. I'm just a little agitated." I said, and he didn't respond, only shut my door with a snap.

To tell the truth I had no reason to be agitated, and I couldn't think of one. It wasn't my time of the month…I had no project from school to feel any pressure from… and I couldn't fathom anything else.

And then Ethan came to mind.

I let out a yell of frustration.

Now I knew what I was frustrated about: liking Ethan.

I fell back down on my bed flat on my stomach and tried to bat the image of Ethan's face out of my inner eye. Not that it was helping. I'd need a super vacuum to suck out all of my thoughts of him…but the vacuum only made me think of the Scary Movie night and when I had cuddled against him.

I blindly reached out and grabbed my phone from the night stand, dialing Clair's cell phone number from heart.

It rang four times before her answering machine came on with her message.

"Hey! It's Clair!" right after that in the back round you could hear me yelling 'Clair, why the hack do you have a used tampon on your nightstand?' and then Clair trying to cover up the phone saying "shut up! I'm recording!" then Clair continuing like nothing happened "So anyway, leave a message when this thing beeps, got it? And no stupid messages, _Aaron_." And finally the beep.

"Clair… I know you're there…pick up pick up pick up! I want to talk to you about something. It's REEEALLY bugging me, so call. Back. When. You. Get. This!" I said, annoyed that she hadn't picked up.

I saw her not twenty minutes ago, and now she wasn't answering her phone. I hung up, and dialed Abby, knowing she was my next closest friend who could tell me what was going on with my emotions, seeing as she was going through the same thing with Brad, and I knew this because she told me the fourth week in the hospital.

The phone rang twice before a childish voice answered.

"Hewo?"

"Hey Gabby, its Katey." I said to Abby's younger sister Gabriella, who was six.

There was a pause and then "HI, KATEEY!"

"So, can I talk to Abby?" I asked pleasantly, already smiling at how she made my name longer.

"Yeah. ABBEEEE! IT'S KATEEY!" she yelled, and I heard another line click on.

"Gab, you can hang up now." Abby said, and there was a click from Gabby hanging up.

"Hey Katey, what's up?" She asked, but I remained silent.

"You there?" She questioned, and I quickly said I was.

"Abbesses…" I said, using her long nickname that I made up for when I was at mad her before I realized her real name was Abigail.

"Uh oh… this has to be big…" She said, and in the back round I could hear a door shut, most likely her bedroom door. "Continue Katerine." She said, using the name she made up for me.

"I think I'm going crazy…" I gulped.

"You mean even more crazy than you normally are?" she teased.

"Yeah." I agreed.

"Well…how so? Are you walking into walls, talking to yourself or seeing little garden gnomes everywhere who are trying to…"

"Abby, I'm not going crazy like the delusional old spinster cat lady way." I said, cutting her off.

"Then like how? You aren't giving me much to work with here." She said.

I chewed on my lip for a second, wondering how to say it.

"Wait a second…" Abby said slowly "does this have anything to do with Ethan?"

"Yes." I admitted, glad she was the one who said it and not me.

"And does this have anything to do with that day he stayed behind in the hospital room and came out blushing a little?"

"Yes!" I moaned, wondering why I was so transparent.

"And are you going to tell me what happened to make him blush?"

"I…I don't know!" I wailed, keeping my voice down so that mom and dad couldn't hear me.

"Well, it's either yes or no, and it had better be yes, otherwise I can't help you at all." She said sternly.

"But I don't know whether I was just delirious and dreamed it up, or if it really happened! I mean, I was so messed up on pain meds that it could have been just my imagination!"

"I can't help you if you don't speak up!" she said again.

"He kissed me." I whispered.

There was a long silence from the other line and for a moment I wondered if she heard me, but them I heard the giggles.

"He _did_? Wow! Then why are you freaking out so much! He _kissed_ you! Was it on the cheek or just the lips?" She demanded, eager to hear more.

"Lips…" I uttered, and then started to cry "But he hasn't said anything since, and hasn't done anything to let me know if he likes me! It could have just been a friendly kiss… or maybe nothing had actually happened but I did something stupid and embarrassing like pucker my lips…"

"Well…that does put us in a tight spot, now doesn't it…" she said, and I knew she was thinking of some way to fix this. "But you haven't done anything that said you knew it happened. I'm willing to bet that you haven't told anyone before me, so maybe he's waiting for you to make the first move."

"But…I'm too _shy_ to make the first move!" I stammered.

There was another pause.

"Then how about this; you flirt with some other guys, and see what he does."

"You mean see if I make him jealous?" I marveled.

"That's exactly what I mean." She finished triumphantly.

"Abby, you're a lifesaver!" I said happily.

"No problem, babe; just remember: you owe me one."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Lemme guess, a date with you and Brad?" I asked teasingly.

"Well, yeah, that might be nice…" she mused, and I laughed.

"See you tomorrow, Abby!"

"See you tomorrow, Katey." There was a click on her line, and I pressed the End Call button, already knowing my plan for tomorrow.

Graham Davis, I thought, you're all mine.

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**Oh boy, Katey, my girl… you might be in for a world of hurt. **

**Please Review, lovelies!**


	3. Courtyard Betrayal

**A little time warp to the Thursday of next week, third period Leadership. **

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For the past week I had slowly flirted more and more with poor Graham, the guy who had asked me out last year, and even after I turned him down still continued to like me.

True, I felt bad for toying with his emotions, but it was something that had to be done, but so far it wasn't working, at least as far as I knew.

I glanced over at Ethan, who was working on some paper and almost sighed aloud. Even though I was being terribly mean to Graham by leading him on, I felt more upset over the fact that I was flirting openly with him and yet Ethan didn't notice at all.

"You know, Graham, I really have to work on my history homework, so yeah." I said un-tacitly, and grabbed my shoulder bag and fished out my homework that was due in twenty minutes.

It was a review so it was quite easy, and I finished it right before the bell rang.

There was the customary rush to get out of the classroom, and I lagged behind, hoping Ethan would say something, but I was wrong. Only Graham stayed, asking if he could walk me to my next class.

"No, it's all the way on the other side of the school. See you later." I said quickly, and left.

It took hardly any time at all to get across the school to history, and as I shoved my paper in the turn in tray I realized that I had been practically running to get here and that I was breathing heavy.

I made my way back to my seat and waited for Abby, Kelee, and Christi to show up.

They were surprised to see me already there when they walked in a minute later, but didn't mention it. They were more eager to hear what happened today in Leadership. Christi and Kelee had already been informed of what I was doing, but only because of a slip on my behalf last Tuesday.

"So…has he done anything yet?" Kelee asked impatiently, referring to Ethan.

"No…all he does is sit there and work on homework or something. It's like he doesn't even realize I'm there." I said dispiritedly.

They stayed silent for a moment.

"What if he thinks you're just being nice?" Christi mused.

"Yeah! You need to flirt with other guys, make it a little more pronounced. Besides, I've seen you try to flirt before and it isn't that pretty." Abby said, and the girls giggled.

"Oh ha, ha." I rolled my eyes at them

"It's the truth, Katey. You need to actually make it known." Kelee said seriously.

"Well when am I supposed to do this?" I demanded exasperatedly.

"Right now…" Christi said, spinning me around in me chair to face the boy who just sat next to me, Aaron.

I twisted back to them and whispered "Are you _insane_? I'm not going to flirt with my friend!"

"Its good practice so shut up and do it." Abby said, and pushed me back.

Luckily for me Aaron talked first.

"So what's with all the whispers over there? Secrets?" he asked tauntingly.

"And if they are?" I asked, lifting one corner of my mouth into a little grin. Damn, that came too naturally.

"Well then why don't you tell me." He asked.

"Because that would defeat the purpose of calling them…secrets." I said, and made my eyes squint just a tiny bit to give them a glassy look that made them seem to gleam, like I knew something he didn't. It took me an entire summer to get that down, and I figured now would be a good time to start using that skill.

"It can't be that much of a secret if they know." He said, and I smiled teasingly.

"Yes, but they're the only one's who can…ever…know…" I said, my voice dropping its pitch ever so slightly, making it almost a sensual whisper. I leaned forward a bit, squeezing my shoulders in just a little to make my chest more noticeable.

I saw Aaron's eyes just, for the briefest of moments; glance down, as though he was reading the front of my shirt that read, in pink scrolling writing against the thin white cotton that showed the white outline of my bra, 'Wicked.'

"But…" his voice had gone just a tad bit husky, same as Ethan's had that crazy night…but I shoved that out of my head, not wanting to think of how embarrassed I was, and still am. Aaron cleared his throat ever so quietly "that isn't fair, now that you've told me… I'm intrigued."

"But that would mean having committed the second sin…greed for knowledge." I said, squeezing my shoulders just a little tighter.

"But…you've forgotten the third…" he began after glancing down again, but was cut off by the tardy bell and then Mr. Barnes calling the class to order.

I leaned back in my seat, barely concealing a grin. Aaron had openly admitted to the third sin, lust.

I felt a tap on my shoulder from Kelee, who sat behind me. "My God, woman," she whispered in my ear "did you take classes or what?"

My grin widened; at that exact same moment out of the corner of my eye I saw Aaron looking at me with third sin written all over his face.

Maybe this would be more fun than I had imagined.

**-Flash over to leadership, Monday of the next week-**

After last Friday when I had flirted with all the boys in class who were single, I suppose you could say I was the most popular girl in the class.

I had virtually manipulated them in the same way I had with Aaron, and, I hated to sound so vain, but they fell at my feet like I was Aphrodite or something.

"So Katey, are you available for tonight? See a movie or something?" David asked hopefully.

I cocked my head to one side as if to think about it for a second. "It sounds like a load of fun, but I've already promised Michael to go out tonight."

"What about tomorrow night?" he persisted.

"Hmm…" I said slowly, pulling up one side of my mouth in a little grin. "Alright, I think I could do that."

My week was slowly booking up, and I absolutely loved the attention. I hadn't been so noticed in…ever! I hadn't ever been this popular with boys. I suddenly realized why the preppy girls acted so snotty; it was because they thought they were better than everyone, and I was actually starting to relate to them.

"So Katey, would you like to go see a baseball game Saturday? The Yankee's are in town, and my old man has season tickets behind home plate." Chris said. It was incredibly tempting, but I had to baby-sit that night, so I couldn't do anything. But it would still be fun to lead him on. By now I had gotten used to leading them on a wild goose chase, and found it a little fun.

"I don't know…" I said teasingly "I heard the Yankee's weren't doing so well this year, and no one wants to see an easy game…"

"Oh, the Yankee's are up to scratch this year…it's be a close game, I'm sure of it." He said, almost sure that he had me convinced.

"Nah, I don't think so…what if it rains?"

"It won't rain, what's his face on Fox news said it was going to be clear all week." Chris said, and you could almost tell he was beginning to doubt his earlier guess.

"Yeah, but you know weathermen, they say it'll be the hottest day of they year and it turns out snowing!" I said, raising my eyebrows at the end of the sentence, making the guys laugh a little. I felt like Scarlett O'Hara, the belle of the barbeque; or in this case, classroom.

"But it's worth a try, don't you think?" he asked, and I cocked my head to the side.

"You know, I'm sorely tempted to, but Saturday I'm all booked up." I said, and he got this crushed look in his eyes, that made me want to take back what I'd said and just plainly say that I couldn't.

"How about Sunday, then? Go out to Cold Stone?" asked James, and I suddenly felt sick of all of this attention. I hated having to agree or say no, and I hated not having some time to think and be myself instead of some airhead.

"Sorry, I'm all full, for the rest of the week, too." I said, and the guys all looked disappointed.

Sure I lied, but I think that a date tonight, tomorrow, Thursday and Friday were quite enough for one week, thank you very much.

In a very timely manner the bell rang just then, and the guys left me to go get their things.

I sighed and slumped off the top of my desk and into my chair, exhausted. Keeping up this act all day long was more tiring than any play or musical could ever be.

I leaned over and grabbed my bag to toss it over my shoulder, but when I looked back up from the floor, I saw Ethan looking right at me. My face grew hot and my insides started up the Macarena.

I averted my eyes and stood up, striding from the classroom, ignoring the boys who were calling after me.

-

After school by the parking lot was where I waited for Clair, instead of at my locker like usual. I had been getting my jacket out of my locker when Clair came up to me, breathless. She said she had to go somewhere, and to wait out front for her.

I had agreed, but now I was curious as to just where she had gotten to. It was a half hour after school, and the parking lot was emptying.

My curiosity got the better of me, and I went around the side of the building, looking around for her.

She couldn't have been inside, because students who were not in clubs or whatever were kicked out ten minutes ago.

I rounded one side, and walked towards the side of the gym lobby wall, going around the corner. The place still gave me the chills just thinking about that freezing cold night when I had been…handled by that freak. I had intended to hurry up and get past the transformer courtyard, sure that she couldn't be there, but what I saw made me stop dead in my tracks, and my heart feel like it was going to rip right out of my chest.

Of all the types of betrayals there were in the world…this was the last one I could ever expect to see from my best friend in the whole world, who I had shared all of my secrets with.

Making out with Ethan was the absolute last thing I could have ever imagined Clair doing.

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	4. Erik's Anger

**Dum Dee dum… still writing…**

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I had stood there motionless for what seemed an eternity before I turned and fled, unable to bear the sight of Clair and Ethan making out as though it was the last day on Earth.

My bag had slammed against my thigh as I ran all the way to the church, and when I sank to my knees in the pews, sweat mingling with my tears.

So this is what Clair had come to confess about…she knew that I liked Ethan, and yet she went behind my back and made out with him…and who knows what else before that?

I bowed my head, wishing that I could bang it against the pew in front of me until I was unconscious, for that was one of the best states to be in. You couldn't feel anything or think anything…it was better than dreaming, because dreams were evil and made you long for things that you couldn't have…but what your ex-best friend could have and go behind you to get it.

Fresh tears spilled out when I thought of that. It had to have been a nightmare…was I dreaming? It was one of those dreams when you know you were dreaming…like when I had gone back to Francois's cave…

I raised my head and looked up at the hanging Jesus. All of the stories I had heard about God protecting us from sadness and sorrow played through my head, and I felt a sudden anger toward God.

If he was so good and all-mighty than why did he let this happen? Why was it me He decided to pick on for all of my days? I had had to deal with so much pain…physically and emotionally…so much that it had nearly destroyed me…and now…now! God must have something out for me, because this just makes it a perfect living HELL!

The word rang through my mind as though I had screamed it into a canyon.

I wanted to do something rash…something that would show just how angry I was at Him and all of his damn holiness.

I reached into my bag and grabbed the rosary beads that had, just yesterday, meant the world to me, and flung them down on the ground.

There…that'll show Him… I thought smugly, and sneered at them. But a moment later I broke down again, clutching the beads to my chest, and letting out muffled sobs.

I looked up at the Jesus and whispered "Forgive me…please…forgive me…for so long it seems, that I have been given the short end of the stick…and it seems like you have it in for me…and I'm wishing for something good to happen, Lord…I want to be given the better end…I don't want to feel like Job, Lord…a miracle, or the Archangel Gabriel himself to tell me it will be alright…please…please…"

I folded my arms to cushion my head as I cried. The sleeves of my jacked had dark brown smudges from my mascara, and my eyes hurt from crying so much, same as my palm ached from clutching the rosary so tight.

I wiped the edges of my eyes and stood up, feeling my knees also sting from leaning on them for so long. I picked up my bag, slung it over my shoulder and walked out of the church, heading for home, knowing that mom and dad were probably worried.

My assumptions were proved correct as soon as I opened the front door.

"Katey…where have you been?" Dad demanded, sounding furious.

"You should have called if you were going to come home later…we were worried sick!" Mom shrilled.

"Sorry, guys. I was worried about other things. I have to go start on homework." I said dully, and started to push past them, but they stopped me.

"Katey Anne, what happened." Mom demanded, holding my shoulders straight in front of her.

I lifted my head to show her my smudged brown and red puffy face and said simply "I don't want to talk about it. Not here, not now." And tried getting past them again.

"You're staying right here to tell us what happened. Now!" Dad said fiercely.

The sudden anger lashed back out like whip. Couldn't these people see that I was upset?

"I don't want to talk about it! Leave me ALONE!" I screamed hysterically, my voice octaves above normal level. I shoved past them and ran up the stairs, but tripped, landing hard on my knee and elbow, but I got up again and sprinted to my room, slamming my door so hard it shook the walls.

I jammed my chair against the doorknob and fell onto my bed, feeling the fervid anger drain out of me. I felt horrible now that I had screamed at my parents, something I had never done before…but somehow I felt like they deserved it.

Couldn't they see that just by passing their bedroom that was next to the entryway of the house, I was always reminded of the horrors that had taken place there not a month ago? That in my eyes I could still see the dark red stain in the replaced carped…that in my dreams I would still see Erik's mangled body, the sickening crunch when Francois broke his nose…the squish I felt when I fell on him…I could still hear echo's of the strange gurgle Francois had made while I was slicing through his skin…the hollowness after I had taken his life…and the cold from the February snow that still cut through me, even underneath the warmest blankets at night.

Could they not see that something was wrong? Something that made my heart feel like it had been stabbed repeatedly, the way I had wanted to stab Francois the second I had him in my mercy, and they didn't care at all. And if they were so worried then why didn't they just call my cell phone?

I kept my face buried in my pillow, letting the infuriation build up slowly until I wanted to scream until my throat burned and I could make a sound.

My eyes spilled over again, and heaving convulsions took over my body until I felt bile in the back of my throat. I grabbed for the trashcan and leaned my head over the bed, vomiting up the entire contents of my stomach, until all that came up was a watery substance.

I wiped my mouth on my sleeves and lay my head down, exhausted, tired and hurting all over from the crying, where I was still breathing in gasps.

My eyes grew heavy and, not wanting to stay and face reality, fell asleep.

-

I knew I shouldn't have fallen asleep…I knew I should have sat up and made myself stay awake…and now look at where I've ended up: The bat cave.

He slowly turned from the thunderous organ, his face blackened with rage toward me, and only me. I could see even from here, ten feet away that he still had scars on his neck.

"You!" He thundered, and his voice echoed around the rock chamber.

"Yes…me…although I really wish it wasn't…" I said weakly, swaying on my feet. I leaned against the wall, closed my eyes, and tensed, preparing to feel the blow that was sure to come.

But when a minute passed and nothing had come, I opened my eyes, afraid of what I would see.

In front of me loomed the 6'5 or so Erik, every muscle he possessed what taught with fury.

"Do you have any idea what kind of pain that was?" He stormed "Do you have any idea it took for me to die?" He grabbed my shoulders and shook me, my head lolling from side to side like a rag doll. "Do you have any idea how it feels, to have the life slowly drain out of you? To be kicked around when you're dying, to be shoved off to the side like rotten garbage?"

I couldn't say anything, and so he ranted on, shaking me harder and harder until a snap came from the back of my neck, and all at once I couldn't feel anything…anything at all.

He let go of me and stepped back, letting me crumple to the ground while he looked down at me, with something like horror on the visible half of his face.

"Yes…" I gasped, suddenly feeling pain all over, from the top of my head all the way through my body, reverberating back and forth with my pulse. "I know what it feels like. Twice now."

He stepped back further and further from my body, and then turned his back on me and stepped through one of the curtained mirrors, disappearing from sight.

The pain was binding me to the spot, and now and then random bursts of color made the vision of the room in front of me disappear from time to time.

Little black dots the size of bees slowly progressed into giant gum ball sized black smudged circles, slowly crowding up my eyesight until I couldn't see anything but the darkness.

The pain in my neck and spine dimmed, and I felt like I was floating…and then suddenly I opened my eyes, waking in a place far from Paris; my own bedroom.

The pain in my neck was still there, but I realized it was from the odd angle my neck was in. It was all the way back and twisted to the side, which would explain the reason I had a pounding headache.

I straightened out my neck, feeling the stiffness and cramp slowly start to leave, and lay there, trying to sort out my dream. Or was it a dream?

Did I still have the connection with Paris, and…if that was the case…did Paris still have a connection with me?

The phone next to me rang deafeningly loud, and I reached over while it was still on the first ring to answer it.

"Hello?" I asked, my voice sounding hoarse and scratchy.

"Katey? Oh my god, you sound terrible, are you alright?"

The same stab of anger whipped out again as I recognized the voice as Clair's.

"I'm fine." I snapped.

"Okay, sheesh, no need to get snippy. Anyway, what happened after school? I asked you to wait outside, but when I got back you weren't there."

"Well whatever it was it sure took long enough. I stood there for half an hour before I left." I retorted.

"Well what's the big deal? I'm sorry that I took so long, but you're acting like I killed your parents, for God's sake."

Yeah well you did something just as mean, I was tempted to say, but knew that I had to make a more tactical approach.

"Yeah? Well what took so long? I mean, what were you doing?" I asked, suddenly cool.

"I was in Ms. Whitis's classroom." She said simply.

"But how could that be, seeing as I watched her leave." I said. It was true, I had watched her leave and get in her car.

"You saw her…leave?"

"Yes, and after what seemed like an awfully long time of waiting, curiosity got the better of me, _so_ I went for a walk." I said, starting to get fired up again.

"You went for a walk?" she asked in a small voice.

"Yes, I went for a walk…around the school. You know, just to see if maybe you were flirting with the guys from track or something, but, before I even got to the gym…you'll never guess who I saw in the Transformer courtyard. Yes, Clair, I saw you." I finished, every syllable ringing with resentment.

"Of all people, Clair…my best friend who I'd known my whole life…I thought you were better than that." Although it would certainly be the proper time to get all weepy, I was still mad.

"If you'll just let me explain!" She cried suddenly.

"What more is there to explain? I saw you and him. There's nothing more to it."

"Yes there is! I thought you didn't like him anymore because you were flirting with all the guys! So I just…I don't know what I was thinking! I knew you would find out…but he was hurt so bad!"

"What are you talking about?" I demanded.

"The way you were flirting with Graham, and all the other guys! He was hurt! He thought you didn't like him and so I tried to console him, and the next thing I knew we were kissing."

I didn't hesitate a second before barking "You liar. I hate you, and I always will" and then slamming the phone down.

The inseparable duo was no more. Clair and Katey, best friends since they were tiny little urchins, finally broken up because Clair had to be a backstabbing…little…Bitch! There! I said it! I called her a bitch! I hope she heard me though her thoughts!

I settled back on my bed, trying to ignore the pounding in my head and at my bedroom door.

**---------------**

**Once again…Please review!**

**Also, sorry for the use of all the 'until'. **


	5. Walgreens Sucks Big Time

**Ah, home sweet home in Texas… **

…**.All knowing point of view…**

**-------------**

"Okay, is it just me, or has Katey been acting like…weird lately." Asked Kelee to the group of friends all gathered outside the country club pool they had snuck into.

"Yeah…it's like she's turned into Barbie or something." Said Kurt, referring to Katey's sudden uber-happiness kick.

"Has anyone checked for crack?" asked Brad, and they all sort of half laughed half actually wondered if their friend was on drugs.

"Well…she got that job at Walgreens, and she had to take a drug test…" said Aaron, having just come from the Walgreens.

"Oh yeah, she was telling me about that. She had to take the blood drug test, and you know how she hates needles; nearly made her faint, but I guess she was clean if she got the job." said Clair, remembering the phone conversation from a few days ago.

"Well…then maybe she's just happy because she got the job." Ethan suggested, but knew he was wrong from the moment the words escaped his lips.

"She's been that way since a month or so ago. But really, I was surprised when she was still happy three weeks ago." Said Jenny, referring to mid-April.

"What do you mean, three weeks ago, what was that?" asked Zach, confused about what she meant.

"Her period, duh." Said the girls at the same time.

The guys were silent for a long minute.

"Oh come on, you know that in the middle of every month she gets moodier…" Abby started, but Brad cut her off.

"Okay, no more talkie about stuff like that." He said, and it was clear that he and the rest of the guys were un-comfortable.

"What, you don't like talking about us girl's times of the months?" asked Christi, grinning.

"Correct." Said Aaron, not realizing that the girls were going to make them seriously un-comfortable.

All at once the girls turned to each other, ignoring the boys and talking loudly.

"You know those tampons that Cotex has? Oh my gosh! They are so uncomfortable! I'm wearing one now, and it's seriously irritating me." Kelee lied. She really wasn't on her period, but she hated Cotex.

"You should try Playtex, those are nicer. They're slimmer, so they slide in easier." Abby advised, crossing her legs.

"Hey, do you remember last year when we had that huge party, and Amee got shoved into the pool in all her clothes? Ohmigosh… her pad got all soaked and it un-stuck to her underwear and started floating..." the rest of Clair's words were drown out by laughter from the girls. It was funny, both the story and the guys faces. They looked like they wanted nothing more than to get away from there.

"You guys…" Christi said though her laughter "Look so funny…"

That made the girls laugh harder, and soon they were doubled up, and all thoughts of Katey were pushed from their minds as the girls laughed about how the guys felt very un-masculine and the guys wondered how to change the subject away from something as disturbing as that.

But ten minutes away from the country club pool where her 'friends' were joking around, Katey stood behind a glass counter drumming her fingers.

"Just remember…money for the car…money for the car…" I thought, wondering why it was so slow on my first day.

"Maybe that's because they're all at the pool or out at Joe Pool Lake." I thought ruefully, jealously wishing I could go out and have fun with the rest of the group.

I was the first one of them to get a job other than baby-sitting, but me getting more mature and realizing that she had to make some money wasn't the reason for having to get 'the stupid job.'

My parents thought it would be good, so that I would have some extra spending money for the summer that was coming soon.

"I think I'd rather have to borrow money than have to waste every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from ten in the morning to five at night…those are the worst hours!" I thought, sighing as I folded my arms over my chest and looked around the nigh empty Walgreens.

And then in my boredom, the question once again rose…the same one that pegged my brain every morning always with the same inquiry…Is today the day? It has been time enough…now would be fine…

But it wouldn't. People were still a bit edgy around me…I could still be ranked as suicidal. And that wouldn't be good, now would it?

I gave a weak chuckle as I thought how strange this would all seem to some random person looking into my thoughts…They'd think I'd lost it!

Maybe I have…maybe I'm turning into some sadistic emo kid…oh God, that wouldn't be good…I don't want to be sadistic! Is it my fault if I'd rather live in Paris?

My thoughts were interrupted by the crazy doors that reminded me of Star-Wars opened, and two guys walked in.

"Need any help?" I asked, putting on a 'friendly cashier' smile.

The both shook their heads and went back to one of the isles. I dropped the smile and leaned against the counter with one arm, watching the clock and wondering how long 'til shift was over.

Suddenly there was a loud crash and bang, and physically stepped back at the sight I saw.

One of the tall shelves had fallen over, revealing the pharmacy where the two men were standing, one with a gun that was still smoking, the other at the shelf, looking for something. And on the pharmacy counter…was the bleeding corpse of Mr. Derek…the pharmacist who had always reminded me of my grandfather.

The man with the gun turned, and saw me looking straight at him.

He made great leaping strides as he ran over, while I remained rooted to the spot; petrified.

"Give me all the money! Now!" he yelled, pointing the pistol at me.

I struggled with my senses to say something, and, unfortunately for me, the stupidest thing you could ever say to a robber with a gun came out of my mouth.

"Nah, I don't think I will."

"Do it!" He said, cocking it, directing his aim at my forehead.

"Well, I mean why? Where's the benefit for me?" once again I wished I had a remote control for my life so that I could rewind.

"I think life's benefit enough." He said, sounding even angrier. "Now hand it over or you're dead!"

"But I mean really…You'd use this money for what, I wonder. I'd at least like to know where my salary is going."

The cold steel on my forehead made me want to shiver, but I continued on stupidly.

"If you wanted to make money the easy way, you've come to the wrong place. Besides, even if you did get the money I'll be giving the police a ring with your full description."

"Not unless you're _dead_!" he shouted, moving the gun swiftly away from my face and to the register, shooting it.

I stepped away right as he did, preparing to run for the phone, and the second man had come up behind the counter with something very heavy, which he used to hit me over the head with, sending me crashing to the floor out cold.

And my last thought before I fell was "Well, I suppose that today really is the day, then…"

**----------------**

**Is it finally time that we get to go back to Paris? **

**Well, you review and I'll write! **

**Also, if there's any typo's or whatever, ignore it. I'm too lazy to go back and re-read, so yeah. **


	6. Where This Time?

**BIG twist here. BIG, HUGE and GINORMUS. **

**Also, VERY short filler chapter, because I'm so awesome that I can't think of anything to write besides this. **

**------------**

The first conscious thing I noticed was a steady beep…beep…beep. Not a pleasant thing to wake up to.

"Damn…hospital again?" I mumbled.

"Katey! Oh my God…please tell me you're alright!" Clair's frantic voice was the one who responded to my groan first.

"You were in another coma…" said Brad, who was interrupted by Aaron.

"Don't ask how, but you managed to get into one again."

"Thrillsville." I said, rolling my eyes. "How long has this one been?"

"Uh…four days." Said Kurt.

"Wow, that little?" I asked. What with my track record being as it was, I was surprised it wasn't over a month already.

"Be glad it was so short." Clair said sternly. "Anyway, you're evidently getting better…"

I stopped her.

"Oh no I'm not. I have to stay in this damned hospital for a much longer period of time." I said stubbornly.

"What do you mean?" Asked Jenny confusedly.

I looked very pointedly at her, and she got it.

"You're joking." She scoffed.

"Okay, what am I missing out on here?" asked Zach, clearly confused.

"Where did you go this time?" Kelee whispered, just in case.

"You mean she…" Zach said, understanding it now.

"Shut it! Katey, did you go back to Paris? Is Erik totally pissed with us?" Clair questioned, and I shook my head.

"I've already been back to Paris in a dream, and yeah, Erik's mad. He only broke my neck…" I was cut off by Clair.

"He broke your neck." She said faintly.

"Well yeah, but I really don't think he actually _meant_ to do that…he had grabbed my shoulders and started shaking me, asking stupid questions about dying (not like I haven't been there before) and then there was the pop, and, boom, I died." I said, starting to shrug, but that hurt. Lordy…what did that creep do to me that made me hurt so badly?

There was an eerie silence, which was broken by Aaron, after I looked at them confusedly as to why they all looked shocked.

"You realize how bizarre it is to hear you talk about dying so casually, right?"

I smiled. "Well, it isn't as though I haven't done it before."

"Okay, diverting the subject from creepiness and on to strange unanswered questions…Where did you do this time?" asked Abby, who had been silent the whole time like Ethan, who I noticed was looking everywhere but at me.

I felt a surge of several emotions like anger and embarrassment, which brought on a new wave of dizziness. Since I had mentioned the dying bit, I felt the same curious dizziness that you felt when you sat up too quickly, so I answered in the only way that I really felt told them everything…and quoting what I had been previously told while I was out in the coma…

"I'm disinclined to acquiesce your request…means no."

And then before anyone could say anything, the crazy dizziness blurred everything, turning my friends into blobs…and then I slipped back into my coma world.

**----------------**

**Oh boy…**


	7. Enough of the Drama

**Another shortie chapter…it would be longer but Monty Python, Quest for the Holy Grail is starting on the boob tube soon, so yeah. **

**-----------------**

"And…we lost her…" Aaron said, noticing how Katey's face had gone slack.

"What the heck did that mean? _I am disinclined to_ whatever, whatever." Asked Kurt, and all of the girls in the room sighed, with the exception of Katey.

"You idiot!" said Jenny and Abby exasperatedly.

"Pirates of the Caribbean? Hello!" Clair said, as if she was explaining two plus two equals four.

"Well excuse me for not memorizing ever line of the stupid movie…" Aaron said huffily, sitting back in his plastic chair.

"Firstly;" said Christi in an irked tone. "It is _not_ a stupid movie. And Secondly, you don't have to memorize ever line in the movie to understand that she was quoting Barbossa from when Elizabeth…"

"Okay, okay…I get the point!" Aaron said.

"So Katey's back in the Caribbean…most likely with the whole cast in tow…man, I wish I were her! She gets to see Will in person!" Abby sighed, and the other four girls sighed with her.

"And don't forget that she was actually a ballerina…getting to star in Don Juan." Jenny said.

"Where she had only been in it because she was being a distraction, for which she wound up being choked to death by some freak of nature who she wound up having to kill right back." Reminded Ethan, speaking for the first time.

"What a soap opera this is turning into…I wonder if she ever just looks up at God and goes, 'Okay, God, I think I've had enough of all the 'effing drama.'" Said Kurt.

"She thinks that all the time…" said Clair, who, after coming to visit Katey in the hospital after she had broken her tailbone, found her in tears, where she had confessed that she hated having the nightmares of blood and dying.

There was a silence which was eventually broken by the nurse poking her head in saying that it was time for everyone to leave.


	8. He Can't Die!

**Okay, after not getting as many reviews as I expected…I'm continuing on! **

**Let me know how you think the new twist is; seeing as I suppose this is starting to turn into a Pirates fic. **

**-------------------**

I stalked the cabin, consumed with both curiosity and hunger.

"Why the _hell_ had I wound up here and not Paris!" I thought angrily, wanting to throw something. I wanted to be back with Christine and Meg…and get revenge on Erik! Not stuck on the Black Pearl as Elizabeth!

When I first woke from my coma, I found myself in Elizabeth's dream from the first movie, and then I 'woke' from the dream and had to go through her morning and afternoon routine, ending up being taken by pirates back to the Black Pearl.

True it was me who said Parley and forgot to fix up the deal, but I mean really.

Thank God I had seen the movie so much that I could mouth the words along with her...

But still! It was more like the first screen play anyhow! The characters looked the same, including me for that matter, and it was the last fact that was making me seriously confused.

As we all know, before I had been my own person…but now I had somehow morphed into Elizabeth Swann as played by Kiera Knightley…

The cabin door opened, and Pintel entered, carrying 'the dress.'

"You'll be dinnin' with the captain, an' 'e requests you wear this." He said, gesturing to the dress.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Well you may tell the Captain that I am disinclined to acquiesce his request."

Pintel chuckled.

"'e said you'd say that…'e also said that if that be the case…you'll be dining with the crew…and you'll be naked."

I grabbed the dress from him, and the happy look on his face disappeared.

"Fine." He said huffily, and left me to dress.

I examined the plum dress that had imprinted itself into the minds of Pirates fans for years. Some of the girls I know back home, mostly my friends, would absolutely die to be able to wear the dress and be in my position, so I suppose I should be thankful that eventually I got to make out with Will, who looks like Orlando Bloom, but I really didn't. I'd rather make out with Etha…

"Oh no you don't!" I snapped aloud, mentally shoving that thought away.

I stripped off the dressing robe and nightgown, and stepped into the white shift, wishing that it was the familiar clothing style of the nineteenth century instead. I slipped on the dress and shut all the many clasps on the front of the dress, smoothing the front down when I was done.

I was still in the house-slippers and without stockings, but it wasn't as though you could tell under the dress.

But it still felt odd as I was sitting down in the Captain's quarters at the diner table with Barbossa himself.

Even though I was ravenous from not eating for near two days, I kept myself composed and took dainty bites, cutting the meat carefully.

Barbossa chuckled. "There's no need to stand on ceremony, and no call to impress anyone…you must be hungry."

I nodded briefly, and grabbed the pig leg or whatever it was and dug in, tearing off bites that satisfied my stomach with every bit.

"Try the wine…" he said, pouring a goblet.

I grabbed it from him and took a swig, feeling my tongue go to the roof of my mouth. I hadn't really had wine before, and it tasted bitter to my inexperienced taste buds.

I grabbed some of the bread and took a bite, getting the terrible taste of the wine out of my mouth.

"And the apples…one of those next…" Barbossa said, offering a green granny smith.

I grabbed it and readied to take a bite, but remembered that I was supposed to be afraid of poison.

I dropped it.

"It's poisoned." I said, pushing the plate away.

He gave a bit of a laugh. "There's no sense to be killin' you Miss Turner…"

"Then release me, you have your trinket, I'm of no further value to you!" I said, quoting from memory.

He gave a grim smile and reached inside his coat, pulling out the medallion.

"You don't know what this is…do you?" he said, and inside my mind I finished the rest of his lines for him.

"It's a pirate medallion." I said instead.

"It's a piece of the treasure of the Isle de Muerta."

I shrugged, revising the lines in my head from the movie, and tried to remember what all he said in the original script.

"Ah, so you don't know as much as you pretend…Back when Cortés was cutting a great bloody swath through the New World, a high priest gave him all the gold he had with one condition: that he spare the people's lives. Of course, Cortés being Cortés, he didn't."

He paused. "He'd've made a good pirate, that one."

I said nothing, my mind starting to wander.

"So the priest, with his dying breath, called on the power of the blood of his people and put on the gold a curse. As anyone took so much as a single piece, as he was compelled by greed, by greed he would be consumed.

"Within a day of leaving the Port of Spain, on the treasure ship carrying the gold, something went wrong. The ship run aground, every man on the ship dead, save for one. He survived long enough to hide the gold onshore.

"Over time, the dark magic of the curse seeped into the place, making it a cursed island. And island of death…Isle de Muerta."

He looked back up at me from the coin, and I brought my mind back from it's wandering to say the next line.

"That's all very interesting, but I hardly believe in ghost stories anymore, Capitan Barbossa." I said dismissively.

He stood up in a rage that made me coil back into my chair. He swept the food off the table with one angry swipe of his arm.

"You idiot girl!" he stormed "It's no make believe! My crew and I, we found the gold and we took more than one piece…we took it all! Rich men we were, and so we spent and frittered it away on food and drink and pleasurable company! But we soon found out: the drink could not satisfy…food turned to ash in our mouths…and all the pleasurable company in the world could not ease our torment!"

He stopped, and regained his composure almost immediately, but I still remained thrust back against my chair in fright from his harsh tones.

"We are cursed men, Miss Turner, forever cursed to be consumed by our greed. The gold calls to us, always, and we are driven, always, to find more, and add to the already priceless treasure.

"There is but one way to remove the curse. All of the scattered pieces must be returned in full, and the blood repaid. We've recovered every piece, save for this."

He held up the medallion chain with a clenched fist, dangling it in front of my face.

"And as for the blood repaid, that's where we have use for you. That's why there's no sense to be killin' you…yet."

I knew that he really wasn't going to kill Elizabeth…me…but seeing him leer at me in person really made me tremble and give him a horrified look worthy enough for any movie.

He took back the medallion and set it carefully back in his chest pocket, and I took the moment to slip the knife off the table and into my lap, covering it with a napkin.

Barbossa glanced down at the floor, saw an apple, and flipped it from the floor with his boot, catching it in his hands and then offering it to me.

"Apple?" he grinned, and I grabbed the knife, batting the apple away with my wrist.

He jerked back, and I stood, making the chair clatter over behind me as I kept the hand with the knife at the level of my eyes…gee, what a coincidence…

I dodged around him, running for the door, but he leapt out from behind a pillar. I stepped back as he tried to fake me out. I lunged to the right, but he grabbed me 'round the middle and I twisted around to face him, stabbing him in the heart.

I backed up, horrified, forgetting that he couldn't die. From my mind it seemed that my prior knowledge of the movie and script evaporated out of my mind.

He opened up his shirt to get a better look, and then pulled out the knife that was covered in his blood to the hilt.

"I'm curious…after killing me, what is it that you planned to do next?" he said, and I noticed that he wasn't bleeding from the chest like any normal human would.

I backed away, and whirled, banging the Cabin doors open as I fled onto the main deck.

**--------------------**

**Wow…so she's Elizabeth now? **

**Interesting…very interesting…**

**Anyhow, please review!**


	9. Nightime Visitor

**Going on again…**

**-------------**

I stopped dead in my tracks at the horrendous sight before me…my jaw moving up and down, but no sound came out.

The pirates on deck were performing their mandatory jobs, like coiling lines and swabbing the deck…but where the moonlight shone upon their bodies…they were naught but decaying skeletal figures.

I turned from the terrifying sight, closing my eyes as, from the doorway; Barbossa grabbed me and whirled me around, commanding me to open my eyes.

"Look!" he shook me "Look! The moonlight shows us for what we truly are…we are not among the living and so we cannot die…" he spun me back to face him, and he leaned into the moonlight, turning his head into a skull.

"But neither are we dead. We have all the desires of the living but cannot satisfy them…for ten years I have been parched of thirst and unable to quench it! For ten years I have been starving to death and haven't died! And I have not felt anything for ten long years…not the spray of the sea nor the wind on my face…" he reached a hand to me, making his arm turn skeletal. "…nor the warmth of a woman's flesh…"

I flinched away from the hand as it brushed against my cheek.

The hand dropped and instead reached for the casket of wine next to the doorway. He seized a bottle and uncorked it, pausing before he took a swig.

"You'd best start believing in ghost stories, Miss Turner…you're in one."

He tilted the bottle to his mouth, and the red liquid poured into his mouth, flowed to his rib cage and stained his clothes red.

I stared open mouthed in terror at him for a moment, and then darted around him into the cabin again, flinging the doors shut behind me.

I leaned heavily against the door, squeezing my eyes shut as I heard the sound of glass breaking against it.

Oh God above…I was loosing my mind…

I knew who I really was and where I was from (Katey Anne Douglas from Arlington, Texas) but… I couldn't think of what was going to happen next! The feeling of déjà vu hung over me everywhere I went, and yet I couldn't think of what was going to happen next! I was positive I had been in a situation or knew of something that happened like this…like I had when I was in Paris…but for some reason I just couldn't figure it out!

I slid to a sitting position on the floor and buried my face in my knees, wrapping my arms around myself in a sort of fetal position.

All of this had happened because I let my stupid teenage hormones get the better of me…I wouldn't listen to reason and instead screwed everything up!

It wasn't the first time that I had led myself to a horrible circumstance, like François and Don Juan and the whole graveyard bit and the Masquerade…

Hang on.

I sat up straight remembering something Erik had said…something like "you should be more careful with whom you chose to dance with."

He meant François…he knew about François…why didn't I think of that before? I should have demanded what he meant by that and should have heeded his warning!

I thumped a clenched fist against my forehead. How many more warnings had I ignored in my headstrong fury?

Like Clair's claimed innocence…I had been wrong in judgment before…why should now be any different?

But the problem was that I didn't _want _to believe it. I didn't want to have to face anything that made me uncomfortable…anything that made me feel sad or upset.

If I was going to be a responsible adult I was going to have to learn to deal with things that made me upset.

And seeing as I have time, it's time to face my fears.

I stood up and walked to the corner of the cabin, curling into an uncomfortable ball, and closing my eyes, trying to send myself back to consciousness in the hospital.

For some time I sat there, eyes closed, waiting for something to happen. But after what felt like hours and no nothing, I opened my eyes and felt like either yelling and surprise or yelling in frustration.

Turns out somehow I made it back to the hospital after all.

I looked around me, expecting to see my friends and/ or family, but the room was dark and empty.

"Dang it…" I muttered, frowning.

"Glad to see you awake, dearie."

I tensed and froze, petrified in terror. Not empty?

"Surprised to see me, love? Yeah, so am I." he said, stepping out of the shadows and standing above my bed, his face cloaked by darkness, but I already knew who he was.

"What the hell are you doing here…you're supposed to be dead." I whispered, surprised my voice could be coaxed out of my throat.

"Well, turns out that I'm not human enough to die; seeing as I've lived in several different times. Sort of like Voldemort with all his horcruxes." He said, and I could tell he was grinning.

"You mean…you mean…" I stuttered, wishing that I was anywhere besides here…

"Yes, I'm alive and well, thanks for asking." He said, sitting down in the chair that had previously held Clair.

"But…but…"

"Yes, it's true that you really did kill me, which, might I add, was rather painful…"

"No more than you deserve, you bastard!" I said fiercely.

"Whatever." He said dismissively, waving a hand "I went back to Paris to recuperate...which is the reason that you went to the Caribbean instead."

"How did you know?" I asked in a sort of awe.

"Your mind isn't that hard to read, love. I knew that I couldn't very well have you come back to Paris while I was there, otherwise you'd probably try and saw my head off again." He joked, but I didn't laugh.

"Anyway, now that I've told you how I've come back from the dead…I think I should probably get down to business."

I said nothing, afraid of what this business may be.

"You, my dear, have something that I so desperately want…do you have any possible idea what it may be?" he asked, and I thought for a moment, coming up with nothing.

"No…" I said slowly, and he laughed.

"No idea at all?" he asked again, and I shook my head painfully. Stupid good for nothing pain killers…

"Your only link to celibacy…your virginity."

If it were at all possible to scream, I would have…louder than was acceptable in a place where people were dying and being cured for sickness that needed peace and quiet, but my voice just wouldn't work.

My jaw opened and closed wordlessly, and he took that as the idea to kiss me.

He leaned over the bed and put his lips to mine harshly, crawling over the weird guard rails that kept you from falling off the bed, getting on top of me, kissing me with such a passion that it was as if it were one of those scenes in a movie.

All at once, in the heat of his kiss, my mind seemed to just slump over. Was this all that life was? Going from bad to worse all the time? Having to deal with situations that seemed to only hurt me more?

I gave in at that very moment. Who cares what my fate was? By the way that my life was going I'd be dead soon anyhow, so why bother fighting back? He was bigger and stronger than I was, so even if I tried to make a run for it he'd have me down in two seconds flat.

His hands worked under the blanket, finding their way inside the hospital gown, untying it.

I did nothing but lay there like a limp rag doll as he exposed my chest to his eyes, and only turned my head when he started kissing down from my neck to my chest…and then down to my naval…which would lead to…

I wanted to cry. The last time this had happened it was in public where Ethan could have saved me…but now it was past midnight in a hospital where no one could save me…my fate was left to a clinically proven psychopath.

And then, as he kissed just below my naval, my old self burst back to life, sending a shock through me.

"Get off me!" I cried, pushing him off of me.

"Like it rough, eh?" he asked, leaning over me, pinning me to the bed with his hands on either side of my shoulders.

I forced him off, sending him crashing into a chair.

"You bitch!" he growled, picking me up off the bed, tearing the IV's out of my arms, making me gasp in pain.

"I'll show you pain!" he said, ripping the rest of my gown off, exposing me entirely to him.

With one hand he held me against him, and with the other undoing his slacks.

I reached up and grabbed his neck, squeezing as tight as I could, trying to strangle him.

He slapped my hand away, and threw me down on the ground, making pain ricochet through me.

He dropped his pants and reached down to grab me again, but I was ready for him.

In the moment that he looked away from me, I grabbed the cart that held my IV bag, and tried swinging it at him. He stopped it with one hand, and wrenched it away from me effortlessly.

Now he was angry and armed with a giant metal pole, while I was in pain and defenseless.

I lunged for the table that held flowers and grabbed a vase, chucking it at him.

He dodged it, and it shattered noisily against the wall. I seized two more and threw them, one hitting him dead on in the face.

He crumpled in a heap on the ground. I sneered at him in satisfaction before I heard footsteps in the hall.

Remembering my nakedness I seized the blanket off the bed just as two nurses banged the door to my room open, turning the light on, blinding me for a moment.

They wordlessly took in the room, from the shattered glass and flowers everywhere…to the pants-less François to me, clothed only in a blanket.

"Oh my God…" said one of them.

I only swayed drunkenly, and then fell to the floor on top of François, once again unconscious.

**----------------**

**Thank Gosh…no more Pirates of the Caribbean that I have to write about.**

**Please review!**


	10. Thumpity Thump

**Okay, I'm sick of Coma's so…Katey's all good and it is the afternoon after the whole François-in-the-hospital-room bit.**

**---------------**

"Katey, what the heck is going on? Your mom and dad didn't say anything and neither did the nurses…" Clair said first thing when she entered the room, leading all of my friends.

I waited until they sat down before I answered.

"You guys…something seriously bad is going on." I said, and Zach scoffed.

"What, Jack Sparrow come back to life here?"

"Shut up, Zach." I said curtly, and the grin on his face disappeared. Everyone else looked at each other curiously.

"Katey…what happened that's got you so…" Jenny asked, and I interrupted her.

"He's back." I whispered, fear overruling me at just the mention of the 'he.'

"Who is?" Asked Clair gently, kneeling next to me.

I looked past them and to the corner where François had appeared.

"François. He's alive…here and now." I said, now sounding a bit numb.

Silence filled the room, broken only by the stupid machines.

"You mean…that guy you…" Kurt asked at last.

I nodded, and a few of the girls said 'oh my god…'

"How do you know this?" asked Brad, looking around the room as though he might be hiding in some corner.

"I…I woke up last night, expecting to see you guys…and instead he came out of that corner." I said, pointing to the corner I was staring at.

"He told me how that he had managed to stay alive because he had gone back to Paris right as I cut him, so he wouldn't have died. And he…he…" I broke down, unable to tell them how he had tried to have sex with me.

Clair put her arms around me, trying to hug me, but I pushed them away, afraid at even my best friend touching me. Since last night I wouldn't let anyone get too near me, strangely scared that they would try and do what François had tried.

"What did he do?" asked Ethan, speaking to me for the first time in what seemed like forever, but I shook my head. I couldn't tell them…I just couldn't. That would lead to the same thing that had happened before: someone dying and François not.

"I can't tell you…I'm already a big enough problem already…I'm a terrible friend, making you guys always have to deal with me trying to be murdered or raped or whatever by freaks from fictional places…oh God…"I said at last, wishing that I could just be alone to deal with everything myself.

I didn't want to keep being such a burden on everyone, what with my stupid fantasies…obvious signs of taking drugs…even if I couldn't remember taking them. Maybe that was part of it. They made you so messed up that you couldn't remember if you took them or not.

"I just…need to be alone. Okay?" I said, straightening up and wiping my eyes. "I'll call you guys next time, alright?"

From the corner of my eye I could tell they were confused as to why they were being dismissed so soon after I had so urgently called them in.

But their curiosity would have to go unquenched, because, as I had figured before, didn't need friends.

Only it wasn't the same. Even if I really needed them, I couldn't have them. My very existence was enough to put them all in danger, especially by François and whatever other demons he might bring with him.

Until the day I died I would be stalked by the madman who wanted not only to own my body, but who wanted me dead, and would most likely do anything to make sure I died.

I grabbed a piece of paper and pen from the nightstand and started writing.

_Dear…whoever reads this, whether you might be a nurse, my friends or my family, or even old what's his face who hates me. You know who you are. _

_I don't want to drop to the stereotype of being vain, but I'm just going to figure that you guys are a little worried about me, or at least wondering where I ran off to after just recovering from a coma inflicted by two idiots who weren't willing to just go and get a job. _

_I just wanted to say that I'm going to miss you all too and to tell you not to look for me. So don't call the FBI or the cops or navy seals because I obviously don't want to be found. _

_I haven't been kidnapped and I most certainly am not running away with some dude to get married in Utah (although why would you ever come up with that conclusion? I thought you knew me better…) _

_I've decided that I think it's time for me to make it on my own, what with me being such a problem child and all. I mean really, this is my, what, fourth coma? The only way that I could stay would be to be entered in the Guinness Book of World Records for most comas' or something. _

_Anyhow, just thought you should know that I love you all, except old what's his face who hates me and knows who he is. _

_-Katey_

_P.S. If anyone touches my Wicked stuff you're dead. _

I set it back down on the table, and un-hooked all of my IV's, wincing at the feeling of needles coming out of my skin.

I stood up, ignoring the blood rushing to my head, and leaned over, neatening the sheets, putting the note on my pillow.

My clothes were hanging up in the closet, and I quickly changed, feeling pain every time I moved my head.

I opened my door cautiously, and slipped out, pretending to be just a visitor.

No one really gave me a second glance, and I made it out of the hospital without anyone stopping me. It was almost creepy how smoothly my plan was working.

I walked away from the hospital, beginning the mile long walk back home.

The walk was invigorating, and it felt good to be away from lying in some uncomfortable hospital bed…and so I made it home in no time.

I had the house key in my pocket, and so I let myself inside, glad that mom and dad were both working.

The house was so quiet that it made me uneasy. It was like I was expecting François to just jump out of no where.

To break the silence I sang out a part of The Unsinkable Molly Brown.

"I'm gonna learn to read and write! I'm gonna…see what there is to see! So if you're goin' nowhere on the road to somewhere and you meet anybody you know it's me! I'm gonna move from place to place, and find the house with a, golden stair…and if the house is red…and has a big brass bed..." I was cut off by someone laughing.

I whirled around, and immediately my face blanched.

"Nice to see you haven't lost your voice." He said, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the wall.

"You know I'm too good to _ever_ loose my wonderful talent." I said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, of course not, lovely." He said, walking slowly toward me.

I glanced over to the kitchen, which was only a few feet away.

He followed my gaze, but by the time he lunged at me, I had already skidded inside, grappling for the knifes.

"Oh no you don't!" He shouted, tackling me at the waist.

I kicked and squirmed, getting free by pushing his chest with my foot. He toppled over and skidded to a stop at the fridge, but by the time I righted myself and reached for the drawer, he had grabbed my arm, twisting it painfully back prisoner style.

With a sudden idea forming in my head, I screamed 'uncle' and he let me loose.

At his lax grip I pulled my arm away, putting it around the back of his neck pulling him closer to me…and then I pressed my lips against his in another hot kiss.

He inched my back against the cabinets behind me until I was pressed against them.

From his neck I removed my arm, raising it upward to the drawer above my head.

It opened soundlessly, and I grabbed one of the knifes from inside.

With a firm grip I lowered my arm, raising it above the area on his back where his heart would be.

And then, without any warning at all, the front door opened, and François jerked his face away from him, blocking my view.

"You!" I heard a couple voices yell, and then I knew that the situation at hand had just gotten worse.

François leapt up, getting sliced by the short knife I had, and then began to run for the back door.

From where I was leaned against the cabinet I sprung up, attempting to tackle him, but it was too late; he had already disappeared behind the back door.

"Oh yeah, _great_ timing you guys." I said sarcastically from the floor.

"It's not like we had any idea what was going on in there." Abby said, helping me up.

"Well…next time…peek through a window or something. I was this close to having killed him." I said, miming a centimeter.

"And how did you manage that without him catching on?" Asked Brad cynically.

"Anyone ever tell you that I was a great kisser?" I said, turning to put the knife away.

Behind me there was a mixed reaction. A few people burst out into laughter, and then a few were like "You did WHAT?"

I turned back to face them.

"Hey, it was either that or…well…I don't know what else; but it was working until you lot had to barge in, and now we've lost him." I said huffily, leaning against the counter.

"Well maybe we wouldn't've had to barge on in if you had stayed in the _hospital_." Christi said, crossing her arms.

I waved my hand dismissively. "I hate that place. I think I'm going to go gypsy and never trust doctors again…honestly, I'd be just fine if I was left to fix myself; those pain meds give you weirder dreams than Bynadryl." I added, remembering when I dreamed I was trapped in Lego Land.

"Yeah, well you freaked all the nurses out…it was only luck that we convinced them not to call your mom and dad." Zach said.

"You know, I'm beginning to wonder about that place…I mean, I just waltzed out of there and didn't get a second glance…" I said, raising an eyebrow.

Aaron opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a loud thump from upstairs…from my room.

"Oh goody…more trouble…" I said, and sprinted to the stairs, everyone following behind.

**-------------**

"**I don't go looking for trouble…trouble finds me." **

**-Harry Potter, Sorcerers Stone **

**Please Review!**

**Also, I didn't proof-read because I'm a lazy bum. **

**I apologize for any mistakes in advance. **


	11. I'm SO Going To Faint

**To the bedroom! **

**Nah nuh nah nuh nah nuh…BEDROOM! **

**Yeah…I've got issues, thanks for noticing…**

**-------------------**

I thumped up the stairs and flung open the door, ready for anything that would be inside…

Okay…not _anything_, exactly.

"Erik?" I asked, stepping back and bumping into whoever was behind me. "What are _you _doing here?"

Erik paused, as if he was going to do something against his nature…which I guess was true, because what he said next just…totally blew my mind.

"Fleur…I know it might be too late…but…I…wanted…to…to…apologize for…er…killing you. I realize now that you had been through that before, and I shouldn't have…uh…man-handled you." He said in French, and I could tell that everyone behind me was confused.

I smiled. I know it was so cheesy and stupid, but I honestly felt moved almost to tears.

The feeling didn't last too long though, because the next moment there was another thud and Madame Giry appeared on the floor.

"Madame Giry!" I gasped, and ran to help her up, but she ignored me, walking up to Erik.

"Did you tell her yet?" she asked, and he sighed and nodded.

"Madame Giry…you made him apologize?" I asked, laughing now.

"Well, I felt so bad, Fleur…he told me what he had done to you, and so I spent quite a while wearing him down…" she said, as if Erik wasn't there.

"How'd you finally do it?" I asked, knowing that Erik was not a man to be persuaded.

"Dirty pool, my dear." She winked, and I could only imagine what she did. "So how have you been?"

I paused, and decided to tell what had really happened. "François came back…and…as you can imagine, he tried to take some liberties against my personal self." I said, putting it as lightly as I could, but even that delicate break could not stop Madame and Erik looking shocked.

"He's back?" Erik asked, and I nodded.

"Surprised you hadn't found him down in that bat cave of yourn." I said, punching his arm slightly.

"I assure you, if he had been there I would have personally taken care of his removal by force." Erik said, and I rolled my eyes. He was only putting this on because of Madame.

"My dear…surely you've tried to get rid of him again…" Madame Giry said, looking horrified.

"Well, I've tried twice already…but…he's a much stronger man than just a has-been ballerina…" I said, but Madame shushed me.

"You were not just a ballerina, Fleur…you still are! You still move with the same grace that you miraculously learned in such a short time which, I myself have never seen done before. You may just not be properly prepared, but you are still part of the Corpse de Ballet!" She said, and I smiled. "My dear…you are always welcome in the Opera House…whenever you need time away from here, you are welcome."

"Well, I think we've served our purpose here." Erik said briskly, and I could tell he was ready to head back to his solitary cave where he could keep up the thundering on his organ.

"Goodbye, Fleur, I hope to see you soon." Madame said, and she stepped back, same with Erik.

"Erik," I said suddenly, grinning "be careful how loud you play, you might cause the next big earthquake."

He rolled his eyes, and the next moment they were gone.

"Will someone please explain to me what exactly just happened?" Jenny asked with a dazed expression.

"Someone catch me, I'm about to faint…Erik just apologized for breaking my neck…" I said, put a hand to my forward and pretended to faint, with Aaron catching me.

"Then why'd Madame Giry show up?" Kelee asked, hauling me to my feet.

"Well, she persuaded him to." I admitted, standing up straight.

"Ah, so not exactly a heartfelt apology." Clair said, trying to hide a grin.

"I think someone needs to get that man to a self-help facility...I mean, if he can't even apologize for killing someone…" Kurt said, but I interrupted him.

"Hey, I don't think having a broken neck would be near as bad as having to bleed to death…" I said, remembering when he squished when I fell on him. It wasn't the first time it occurred to me that he was still alive when that happened.

"Especially the way we kind of kicked him around…" Zach said, evidently remembering the same thing as I.

"He mentioned that…" I said, rubbing my neck a little bit.

"So what are we going to do about François?" Asked Jenny, and I shrugged.

"Well it isn't as though we can go look for him, the man pops up everywhere. He's like that freak from Jeepers Creepers." I said, leaning against my door frame. "And it isn't as though I can stay here either, mom and dad are gonna be home in…" I glanced down at my watch "oh give or take five minutes."

"And we can't go anywhere public either…" Abby said, thinking how un-cool it would be to have to kill someone in the middle of the mall or something.

"Hey, Gram isn't home…" Clair said.

"How long has that been, three months? Shouldn't you be worrying if she's dead or something?" I asked.

"Nah, I think she's just avoiding us…but you never know…maybe we should give her a ring tonight…" Clair said slowly.

"And I think we'd better hurry up and get out of here." Aaron said, looking down at his watch that read five-fifty-six, about the time when my parents got home.

"I'm with you…" I said, and hurried into my room, grabbing my overnight bag.

**-----------**

**Please review! **

**I didn't check for mistakes again…I know, I'm so terribly lazy…**

**Also, sorry for it being so short. **


	12. HeyWhere'd You Go?

**At Clair's Grandmother's house where she is (according to the phone call between her and Clair a bit ago) staying at a hotel across the way from the Garnier. **

**-------------**

And…there goes Clair. I thought ruefully after having whispered her name several times in a row.

It was past midnight, that's all I knew about the time, and mom and dad had called my cell phone twice already. I had answered the first time, saying that I was safe and that I just needed some alone time. ("I've been in a coma like, five times now. I think I really need to get some help. On my own.") I kind of hung up on them, and turned the phone off after that, to prove my point, and had stayed up joking around with the group, watching old movies, Nick at Night, and even one round of Jeopardy. But of course, people started falling asleep, the little party poopers they are.

Including Clair.

So now I was left all on my lonesome, staring up at the dark ceiling, fretting about François. Of course, I'd never let it show, that's for sure. Especially to François; in fact, that was my advantage: me not being fazed by him.

Hah. Me? Not worry if I was going to die?

Preposterous.

I was terrified, only I was the only one who knew…so all the better, right?

Who was I kidding.

I wished so much that I could tell someone how scared I was of François, but I felt that marked me as weak…I mean, I'd already acted like a chicken with it's head cut off about the whole Ethan, Clair thing, and I didn't want anything more to mark me as unstable.

So better to keep it quiet. All locked up upstairs where I was the only one who knew that I was scared so bad that every time I even thought of his name I felt cold chills rack my body.

But of course, that was only on the inside. If I so much as let a cheek muscle twitch I'm sure that someone would know…

Provided they were awake…

I shut my eyes and tried to think of something…that one question from Jeopardy that was on just before we shut the TV off…

"In the First Battle of Bull Run…the Green Union Army was under the command of whom?"

I wanted to laugh right out.

How could I not know the answer to that one? It was easy…McDowell.

Of course, the only reason I got it right was because of Ethan and that dumb, pointless Leadership class.

I rolled over on my side, remembering the first time I saw him.

Did I really wish that I hadn't met him? I mean, sure he's helped me out with all my stupid History homework, boosting my grade up to an A, and he's been a really good friend…

Except for the fact that I had just the biggest crush on him, and still felt extremely awkward around him…especially since I had seen him and Clair.

"Teenage hormones are hell, aren't they?" A voice said, interrupting my thoughts.

I sat up fast, my eyes opening wide, and found that I wasn't in the parlor, but instead in François's lovely little cave.

"Wha-what?" I asked, jumping up from where I was lying on the low leather couch.

"Ah, poor little Katey…can't seem to pick out the right people to fall for." François tsked, and I crossed my arms over my chest. "First it was Raoul the Fop…then myself, with obvious reasons, and now this little idiot, who can't even begin to appreciate you, and instead has to run off with your best friend…"

"And I presume that you think that you, being the crazed murderer you are, are better suited for me than anyone else?" I asked cynically, ignoring his jab at Ethan.

"Of course, love." He said, coming toward me. "I seem to be the only man who can love you, for you."

He stroked my arm, and I drew back.

"Love, huh? Hmmm, so I imagine the part where you beat me senseless, and wound up strangling me to death was all just…what…tough love?" I leered, and he smiled.

"Katey…" He started, with this terrible simpering look in his eyes, but I interrupted him, putting up a hand.

"I just don't get it…why on God's green Earth are you so obsessed with trying to get me to suddenly love you?" I asked, shaking my head.

"Because we're meant to be together." He said softly.

"Oh hah." I scoffed. "We know nothing about each other except that I hate you and you somehow are madly 'in love with me'"

"Well then why don't we sit down and chat?" He asked, innocently gesturing to the couch, but I shook my head vigorously.

"Uh-uh, don't even think about it, dorkwad. I'm not so stupid that I know that all you have for me is _lust_." You know, I felt extremely weird thinking saying that. Personally, I thought you would have to be either blind or SERIOUSLY drunk to have any feelings for me other than being a friend, but then again, this guy was a genuine psycho, remember?

"Heavens above…are you that stereotypical."

"I tend to be about people who beat me senseless, trick me into thinking that I liked you, and then murder me, then come back, trying to kill me again, winding up slicing the throat of a friend of mine, making me have to slice your throat in retaliation." I said, breathless by the end of that major run-on sentence.

François just stood there, staring at me, making me a little nervous.

I could handle him shooting stupid comments my way about 'being in love with me' but not silence, but eventually he broke it with a simple "huh."

And then he disappeared without another word.

Just…vanished into thin air!

I swiveled around, expecting him to have somehow slid behind me as to get me from behind, but there wasn't anyone there.

What the heck?

Did he, like, go back home or something? And why?

I stood there for a full minute before a strange ringing sound filled my ears.

My head turned wildly, looking for what made the sound that was reverberating in my mind, and then I realized that it was from back home…and it sounded like someone was yelling…I felt a sharp pain on my scalp…one that made me feel like my hair was being yanked out…

Something incredibly strange was going on back home…and I had to find out…

I shut my eyes tight, and opened them to see what exactly was going on.

Only, it was kind of hard, seeing as I was being bumped around quite a bit, my hair was in my face, getting into my mouth, and it was dark.

Oh yeah, and there were also screams and yells and all sorts of noise coming from somewhere above.

Talk about mass confusion…

"Zach! Oh my god…someone call the cops! _Zach_?" I heard, and I knew something was terribly wrong.

Well, okay, I already know, because you don't wake up to find that you're being pulled somewhere by your hair and hear screams and whatnot, but after hearing that, I knew that something was REALLY wrong…as in, he was having a seizure or something…

I lashed out at whoever was dragging me and thrashed around, trying to break free, causing more mind-numbing pain from my hair.

Arms wrapped around me as I tried to struggle, picking me up and carrying me evidently downstairs.

I located his hand and bit down on it, making the person release me, dropping me at the foot of the stairs.

My rear seriously hurt, but I ignored it, sprinting to where the kitchen was in the dark, praying that I didn't trip over anything.

I didn't bother with finding the light switch, but tried to remember from memory where the knives were…I flung open a drawer and felt inside it, realizing that it was measuring cups and stuff.

I opened the next one and, rather painfully, located the knives.

I seized one out with my already bleeding hand, and twisted around to see a dark figure coming towards me.

It was just like when I was Elizabeth…only, a whole lot scarier.

My hand squeezed around the handle of the knife, and I tried to fake the person out, dodging to the right, no, left, right again, left, fake right, and then make a break for the left side.

The person caught me effortlessly around the middle, and sort of swung me around.

I spread out my arms and legs, making things that had previously been sitting on the counter clang noisily to the floor.

The person stopped swinging me, and evidently realized that he had to make a move now, but I had already worked out my next plan.

I twisted to face him, and made a stab where his heart should have been, but the person stopped my blow, grabbing my wrist before I could do any damage.

He wrenched the knife away from me, and let my body drop, smashing my head against the countertop.

Almost against my will, I let out a cry of pain. Okay, that hurt…now I'm _really_ mad…

I thrashed out my legs, tripping the person as they tried to get out of the kitchen, and they fell with a thud to the ground.

Almost immediately they flipped over, reaching for me, but I kicked out again, colliding with their chest, hopefully knocking the wind out of them.

He grabbed my ankle, holding fast even as I thrashed, trying to get free.

I gave my leg a twist to the left, and a small crack was all I got for my troubles…

Pain ricocheted up and down my leg, and I realized a second later that I had broken my ankle. I mean, the crack pretty much gave it away.

"Ow!" was the only thing I managed to whisper.

It didn't hurt as bad as having a sword through your wrist or a broken neck, but holy cow…it hurt just as bad as the cursed tailbone.

The person let go of my tailbone and jumped up, and I hopped up after him, but a split second later I gasped in pain. I accidentally hopped up on my now crippled foot.

Whoever it was took that opportunity to make a run for it, but a moment later he was back down on the floor.

I leaned on the countertop, my head throbbing along with my ankle, and tried hopping over to see what the heck was going on.

The person had gotten back up and was now fighting someone else, probably one of the boys. Whoever he was, he was putting up a good fight.

I stooped over with my one foot in the air, making me look like a flamingo, and grabbed coffee-maker that had clattered to the ground.

I hopped over to where the two people were, and raised the thing high above my head, bringing it down hard onto the guy that had been previously attacking me.

There was a sort of a dull thump, and then he fell at my foot, seeing as my left one was still raised flamingo style.

Smashing the Coffee-machine over the guy's head had used up all the balance I had in me. I let the thing fall the floor again so I could reach out blindly for the counter behind me.

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**Oh boy…more crazy people trying to hurt everyone! **

**Please Review!**

**Also, any mistakes you find are because, yet again, I was too lazy to check it. **

**Sorry if this chapter is sucky…**


	13. Dr D

**I got my new school schedule today, and am quite convinced that whoever the heck does them hates me. **

**I'm on the team that NONE of my friends are on. I literally don't know anyone who's going to be on that team. **

**But cross your fingers that Aaron will be…**

**---------------**

The tips of my fingers just barely touched the edge before it slipped out of my grasp, resulting in me fall to the ground on top of some un-identified object, also resulting in my flamingo-foot landing under my butt, twisting in an incredibly painful way.

Is it any wonder that I started swearing in French?

"Merde Putain! Sacré nom d'un chien, sacré pied de le mien!" I rattled off, gingerly pulling my leg out from under me, biting my lip.

"Katey…" the guy from the doorway said, and to my heart's pleasure, it was Ethan. Normally I would have gotten all nervous and shy, but the throb from my head and leg rather than heart kind of pushed that from my head.

"Ethan, could you help me up?" I asked, my voice lined with a little pleading.

"Yeah, hang on…" he said, and I saw him kick the unconscious guy off to the side. "Nice move by the way."

He meant the whole smash-him-over-the-head-with-a-toaster-or-whatever-the-thing-was bit.

"Yeah, well, you do what you have to…" I said, shrugging as he stooped over so that I could put my arms around his shoulders.

And yes, funky little tingles erupted all over my arms, thanks for wondering.

"What happened to Zach?" I asked as he stood up slowly.

"Well…" He said reluctantly, but I stopped him.

"Wait…do I want to know what happened?"

"If you'd like to know why everyone's running around incredibly freaked out, then yeah, you might want to know."

I sighed and prepared for worst case scenario.

"He got stabbed by that guy right there." He said, giving the guy on the floor another kick.

Okay…that was so not my version of absolute worst case…but still just as bad as having a seizure I suppose.

"Ohmigod…where?"

"I think the guy was aiming for the heart, but Zach must have moved, because the guy only got his arm." He said, and I wanted to burst out yelling. Oh God, it just might be as bad as seizure if he'd been sliced under his bicep…That was one of your important veins or something…it was how that guy died in 'Cellular.'

"His arm? Like, bicep or forearm? Specifics, please!" I said; panicked, but not hysterical.

"Just his forearm, but it went all the way through."

"Have you called the police or an ambulance or something?" I asked.

"That's what they're debating. We're going to be having some serious explaining if us guys are found over here when we said we were at each other's house." He said, and I understood what he meant.

They wouldn't be allowed out of the house for the next ten years if they got found over here. I racked my brain, trying to remember what the doctor at the opera house had done for me when Erik had decided to vent his anger on me.

"Aller être plein de, avoir un tas de serviette…" I began, recalling how I'd been fixed, but Ethan cut me off.

"You _do _realize I don't understand a word you're saying, right?"

"Sorry…" I said, and the continued, not mussing a beat "Do you think you can get me up the stairs?"

"Yeah, but you, what, broke you leg?" He asked, doubtful.

"Ankle." I corrected briskly. "Alright, get me up there; I think I can help him out."

"How?" He asked, already on the first step.

"Experience. Let's just say…never _ever_ try to out run Erik and expect to get away unscathed." I said, smiling a little.

At the time it hurt like a _salaud_, but looking back it was actually kind of funny. Next time I saw Erik I would have to remind him to apologize for that too.

"And yet millions of girls still adore him…" Ethan said, shaking his head while lifting my waist to help me to the next step.

"They should have their heads examined." I agreed "That reminds me…I forgot to congratulate Christine on getting engaged to Raoul."

"That sounds incredibly odd, you know."

"Yeah, but still…I hope I can be there for the wedding…of course I'll have to stay in the back where no one can see me so that I don't set off another angry mob…don't ask." I added, knowing perfectly well that Ethan was giving me a very confused look.

"You're going to have to explain that sometime." He said, pulling me to the last stair, and I got a good view of utter chaos.

Zach was laying on the floor bleeding all over quilts while Jenny, Brad, Abby, Clair, Kurt and Aaron argued over if they should call an ambulance or not, Clair and Kelee were trying to persuade Zach to let them take the knife out of his arm.

"Lordy, Lordy…" I said softly, noticing the pained expression on Zach's face, as though he just wanted to scream bloody murder but couldn't.

Ethan waited for me to stop gazing open mouthed at Zach's wound before asking me what I needed to do.

"Get some Aspirin or Tylenol, whatever's down there. Then get some hand towels, hydrogen peroxide and cotton swabs. Take Clair with you so you can get the stuff faster…and go see who that guy in the kitchen is; be sure to make sure that he can't get away, or at least until we question him." I added in an undertone. He nodded and helped me over to Zach before he left with Clair.

"Hey Katey." Zach said as I sort of half squatted half kneeled next to him.

"Hey Zach, what's up?"

"Unless you count the knife, not too much."

"Yeah, what happened with that?"

"Well, one second I was asleep, the next I had a knife stuck in my arm." He said, chuckling a little.

I smiled a little, and he continued on, "What about you? You turned up missing during all this mess. Not that I blame you or anything; I'd sure like to be away from all this mess for sure, but there was a whole lot of thumps and junk from downstairs."

"That was _my_ souvenir from tonight…I've got a broken ankle to show for it all." I said, lifting my striped pajama pants to inspect my swollen and bruised ankle.

Zach let out a low whistle, and I turned back to him and shrugged. "Might as well get my doctor career started tonight…"

Zach raised an eyebrow.

"Well, someone's got to take that thing out of your arm, so why not someone who's experienced, and I've got to help this thing somehow; better now than never." I mused.

Either it was a trick of the light, or Zach actually paled a little more.

"What experience might you have with stabbings?" he asked, keeping his composure.

"I never told you all about when Erik stabbed me?" I asked incredulously.

"Obviously not, unless you decided to keep just me in the dark." Ethan said from behind me before handing me the things.

"There're only white towels, so you had better have some good bleach when this is all over." Clair added.

"I'll try to remember that…" I said, laying it all out beside me, organizing it in the order I needed it. "Now let's see what we're dealing with…"

I cautiously removed the blanket, careful as to not disturb the steak knife that was lodged between his radius and ulna, and examined the wound.

Blood was oozing around the stained steel that was imbedded a quarter inch, and was all over his arm and blanket.

Behind me, Christi made a gagging sound and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her. She had evidently forgotten that she threw up at the sight of blood, and hadn't gone with Jenny to Clair's bedroom.

I ignored the outburst and grabbed the Aspirin, handing two to him, and then the glass of water that I had forgotten to mention, but Clair had obviously gotten what the Aspirin was for.

Zach downed them, and I waited for a moment for them to kick in.

"Alright, Zach, I'm going to take the knife out…" I began, but Zach shook his head vigorously.

"Oh no you aren't. I'm waiting for an actual licensed doctor and some serious pain meds."

"Zach, trust me, I had to go through this too, and I didn't even have the Aspirin." I affirmed, and paused a second before starting to tell him what happened after the sword fight between Raoul and Erik.

"You want to know what happened?" I asked, and I felt like a teacher talking to a little kid.

He shrugged, and I smiled, knowing that he, along with everyone else who was crowded around us, wanted to know what happened.

"Close your eyes and lie back on the pillows and I'll tell you…and keep your arm as still as you can." I said, waiting for him to lie back before I got to work.

"It was after the whole Graveyard bit, you know, the 'Angel of Music' thing, and Raoul and Christine left, forgetting me of course." I started, holding his arm with one hand, the other on the base of the knife.

"I was stuck between Erik, a prickly hedge, a giant mausoleum, and a conveniently placed concrete wall that was three feet taller than me. I was debating on making a break for it, but just then Erik turned, looking like he was ready to just, like, kill someone. And then, he saw moi." I started pulling up slowly, and Zach's face got a pinched look, like he was going to yell.

"So naturally he rounds on me, sword sheathed, and ready to come and kill me because, after all, it was me who had woken Raoul to tell him to get his butt up there.

"I'm trying to think quick, weighing my chances on getting past him, scaling either the mausoleum or the wall, or getting through the bush of doom." I eased a little more, and he gasped.

"He charges at me, and I just instantly decide on pushing through the thorn bush, which, let me tell you, hurt like heck. So I tumble through, and start running for dear life, only to find that Erik is in hot pursuit, just behind me.

"This goes on for like, two miles, and you guys know perfectly well that I'm not a good long distance runner, but let me tell you, if that had been timed, I'd've had a seriously awesome time." The knife came out, along with a moan from Zach. I wiped down the knife and set it down next to me, and grabbed the cotton swabs and the hydrogen peroxide, dipping the swab into the bottle.

"The whole time I'm running I'm debating on whether or not to turn and look, for fear that I was going to trip and fall, but I decide that I was going to be okay. Hah, like that worked out. I tripped and fell hard, but got back up, and, like a total retard, looked back again." I dabbed some of the peroxide on his cut that was bleeding freely, and shushed him gently as he cried out in a restrained way.

"Well Erik had decided he'd had enough of my shenanigans, and decided to just take me down…so, he lunged at me, and made this awesome tackle. I swear, if he wanted to, he could go pro for football. Anyhow, so he does that, and then I notice that arm seriously hurts. I look down, and Ohmigod, there's a sword sticking _through my arm_. Not kidding, there was like, five inches on the other side." I lied. The thing had barely shown on the other side.

"Well, jolly old Erik decided that that wasn't enough, so he starts attacking me, but, thank God, Meg, Richard, Fredrikk, Isabelle, and all the others showed up and took me back to the Opera House, and got a doctor, who was doing the same thing I'm doing to you, only, he didn't tell me a story to keep my mind off the pain; which sucked, because no one was talking to me…" I paused my delicate rubbing of the alcohol to recall that the room had been a stony silence until the doctor left.

"Anyhow, Madame Giry hadn't made him apologize for that one, so next time I see him I have to tell him that he still has to."

I blew on the cut to dry the peroxide, but switched the waving my hand over it after Zach twitched.

"So did you have a scar?" asked Zach painfully.

"Psh, did? Still do. Right above my wrist. Haven't you seen it before?" I asked, holding up my right wrist for him to examine.

True enough, there was a small circular scar that was only just starting to go away.

I grabbed a towel and wrapped it tight around his forearm, tying two of them in a knot to form a sort of a bandage.

"Tahdah! Wound cleaned and knife out. That wasn't so bad, was it?" I said, patting his shoulder.

"Bad enough so that I never want it to happen again, but I think I'll live; you obviously did." He said, nodding.

I grinned, and bent to pick up the things that I had used while Zach got up, testing out his fingers to make sure they wiggled.

"Nice surgery, Dr. Douglas." Clair said, helping me out with the towels.

"Yeah well, I'm not out of the woods yet…I've got to set this ankle." I said, gesturing to my bum leg.

"Oh, Katey…no! Go see a doctor for that…you can seriously hurt yourself…" She said, dropping her towels and grabbing my shoulders.

"I think I'll live…after all, how else did they do it back in the old west when you couldn't get a doctor…just look at 'Little House on the Prairie,' Ma pulled through alright." I said, shaking her arm off.

"Yeah well this isn't 1850-something." She said, but I rolled my eyes.

"Clair, if it bothers you so much, then don't be in the room." I said, and she looked at me like I was insane, which is exactly what she thought of me.

"You must be insane if you think I'm not going to be with you while you mess with your future ballet, tennis, track and whatever else athletic career." She said firmly before adding "What do you need?"

I thought for a moment, and then answered simply, "Aspirin."

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**OHMIGOSH! I ACTUALLY PROOF-READ IT! **

**Kudos to me, baby! Woot, woot! **

**Please review, lovies! **

**Also, this just so happens to be the longest chapter so far, so be happy! **


	14. No Comunicado

**Excuses, excuses…I could fire off about a billion of them, but I bet'cha just want to get to the BIG MEGGA EPIC storyline. **

**Oh yeah…and just to add to the 'Random Facts about Your Favourite Insane Author' list…I am officially addicted to Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal. **

**That aside…here's the chapter. **

**WARNING: **

**A ton of French…I tried my best to make it all fit, but I might have gotten it wrong…please just bear with me if you know French, because I think that I got the basic meaning across. I _would_ be getting it right if my school offered French class, but they don't, so I'm using to help me out. **

**----------------**

Clair got another glass of water for me, and I downed two of the pills before closing my eyes, taking a deep breath.

It was going to hurt…and there isn't anything that can be done…so just remember to keep breathing and not to make more noise than necessary…

I opened my eyes and rolled up my pajama pants, and inspected my ankle. I really couldn't tell what had broken, and was dreading what I would have to do to figure out what had been wrong…

I pursed my lips tight and hesitantly felt along my ankle, which sent pain flaring through my entire body.

I pressed a little harder on different joins, the way I had seen the orthopedic surgeon had after I had broken my arm in the fifth grade from falling off the monkey bars.

After a little more tormenting poking, I made the educated guess that I hadn't actually broken anything…just strained it really bad.

Even as I announced it, I didn't think that could be possible. I mean, I had _heard_ the thing snap…but as far as I knew, there wasn't anything broken.

But then of course, in contradiction to my previous statement, I felt a little lumpish type thing.

All the x-rays I had seen of broken bones being completely dislodged came to mind, and I swore again.

"Merde Putain! I think it got like, popped to the side or something…" I said, cautiously pressing against it.

"So you have to like, pop it back into place?" Clair asked, and I could tell that she paled a little bit.

"I think so, yeah." I said, and took a moment to figure out what the heck I was going to do.

Breathe In through your nose…out through your mouth….pull up on the tibia and fibula…

It was the most disgusting thing in the history of the world…I could actually FEEL my bones shift and pop into place…talk about ew/ ow.

"Putain!" I moaned, trying to keep my voice for betraying that if I had the option, I would be screaming my head off. "Que gravement confirme…Bein, je crois ça ira pour l'instant…"

My eyes had been closed, but I opened them again when no one responded.

"Alors la?" I asked, looking up at my friends, who were all staring at me as if I had turned into a mutant. "Quoi sont toi fixement chez?"

"Katey…English please…" Clair said slowly and deliberately, and I furrowed my brow. I thought I was speaking English! What were they talking about?

"Je _suis _parlant anglais!" I raved, cocking my head to the side curiously. Obviously it was some dumb joke of theirs. "Ô j'comprende ça, ha, ha. Très rigolo…se moquer de la infirme…"

"No, seriously Katey…we don't understand you." Aaron said, and I spoke my next words carefully, trying to catch the reason why they didn't understand me.

"Je ne sais quoi tu vouloir… Ô mon Dieu! Je suis parlant en français et j'ne voir tiens!" I cried…I was talking in French with no reason at all to explain why it was coming out of my mouth on its own…All I had done was set a stupid bone and now my language pattern had changed? Why was it that I could understand perfectly well what was being said to me, but I couldn't control my tongue!

"J'inevitable arrêter!" I wailed, knowing perfectly well they didn't have an inkling as to what I was going on about.

"Katey…chill out and like…can you even understand us?" Kelee asked, and I started to say that I knew perfectly well what they were saying, but opted to just nod my head like a little kid.

"But you can't speak English?" Jenny asked, and I nodded again.

They were quiet for a moment.

"Do we know anyone that speaks German?" Christi said, and I corrected her "Français, entendre."

"French, close enough…" Kurt said, rolling his eyes. I pursed my lips, knowing perfectly well that there was a big difference, but stayed quiet.

"Then do we know anyone who knows French?" Abby asked, and Zach spoke up. "There's Mrs. Holland from school."

"Yeah, but wouldn't she be at least a _little _curious as to how Katey suddenly speaks French better than her?" Clair said, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah…good point." Zach agreed.

"There's…the guy down in the kitchen." Ethan said, and I turned to him open mouthed. Him saying that the dude down in the kitchen meant only one thing…

"François…" I uttered, and tried all at once to stand up.

Messing with me was fine, a little annoying, but it was fine with me, but messing with my friends for _no_ reason was SO not cool. Sadly for me, standing up with a newly set leg wasn't all that easy. I swayed and threw my hands out, wildly grabbing onto some one.

"Désolé…" I apologized to Kurt, who I had grabbed around the neck. I let go keeping a firm hold on the antique settees arm. "Tu vouloir dire François est la un qui…"

"Woah, hey, No sprechen de French-ay." Aaron said and I ignored his use of both French and German in the same sentence and let out a great huff. How the heck was I going to get downstairs to talk…no…persecute François?

Sadly, I did the thing that I had never hoped to resort to, even in foreign countries…ghetto sign language.

I pointed from myself to down the stairs, hoping they would take the hint, repeating the monition with more pointed annoyance as they didn't get what I meant.

"Hold on, why exactly is it that you want to go see François?" Clair said suddenly.

I raised an eyebrow, saying with one look 'Duh, how am I supposed to explain when you can't understand me?'

"Oh…yeah…but still!" She said, and I shook my head and sighed. Honestly, was she _that_ dense as to think that I would let François just get away without yelling and/or hitting him?

"Simplement assistance moi en bas vers l'cuisine…" I said, and I knew they didn't understand a word of what I said, but got the gist of it.

"Katey, you are a complete and total idiot." Abby said, and I flashed her a bright smile.

"Que est tiens tu amour moi." I said, and they laughed, remembering the remark I had said so many times after they had jokingly called me a dork or whatever.

Clair slung my arm over her shoulder and hers around my waist, much like the time I had sprained my ankle on the track and my athletics coach didn't believe me, so we had to finish up the mile like that.

"God Katey, you've heavy." She said jokingly and I rolled my eyes "Ô ta gueule."

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**TRANSLATIONS! WEEEE! **

…

**Never mind…I don't feel like translating, because I forgot what I wrote! Yay me and my Alzheimers! **

**Anyway, you pretty much get the basic idea, right? Good. **

**Also, I didn't proof-read because it's one more way to tell you that 'I suck as a writer.' **

**Maybe I should just get an associate to proof-read for me…**

**Anywho, Please Review even though I'm mean and refuse to translate for you!**


	15. How Do You Refuse?

**Tahdah! More updating! **

**And I promise, not THAT much more French, if any at all. **

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Clair had clumsily helped me to the kitchen, where François sat at the little kitchen table, tied to one of the plastic chairs that were relics from the fifties.

"Well fancy seeing you here, François." I said in French, smiling closed lipped as he looked up to see me standing before him.

"Hello Fleur, what's with the French?" He asked coolly, and I thought up a quick lie so that he wouldn't use it to my disadvantage.

"What, a girl can't speak in a different language if she wants?" I asked, sitting down opposite him. He didn't respond, and so I continued on "So, what brings you to my neck of the time line?"

"Need you even ask?"

"I'm afraid so, seeing as we were getting along just fine, and the next moment you disappear." I retorted, bringing up why he just left me in his cave.

"You hadn't figured that I had been at wits end with you and your cold shoulder."

"Well I certainly hadn't counted on you on the verge of trying to stab my friend."

"I wasn't aiming for your little friend, I had been aiming for someone a little closer to heart." He said maliciously, and he flicked his eyes over to the doorway.

I followed his gaze and saw who he meant…

"Yes, your precious lover-boy." He said, and I felt a cold chill rack my body. I tried my best not to let it show, but it must have. "See, I knew if you had lost him, you would need someone to cling to for emotional support."

"And the part where you dragged me down the stairs by my hair and tried to kill me yet again was all part of this 'ingenious' plan?" I asked sarcastically.

"Actually no; the only reason I took you was because I hadn't hurt him bad enough. Of course, I didn't realize at the time that it wasn't what's-his-face, so I took you down here, to try to get you to come back to Paris…"

"And into your open arms." I finished for him, raising an eyebrow "Highly idiotic, stupid, lame-brained and about a thousand other adjectives that mean 'dumb.'"

"Looking back in retrospect, I find I am inclined to agree with you." He said, and my mouth dropped in shock.

"You're…agreeing with…_me_?" I repeated, completely disarmed of all the snappy retorts I had stocked for anything he might say.

He let out a sigh. "Yes, it was quite stupid, and I believe that sneak attack with the appliance was sufficient to knock some sense into me."

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, my shock erased from my mind as the real answer to why he was agreeing with me dawned on me.

"You're saying this only because you don't want to be strapped to a chair on an uncomfortable plastic chair, isn't it?" I denounced, grinning as a flicker of anger and annoyance shown in his eyes, but my smile faded as his eyes grew much like a baby deer's would look, and I knew he was going to say something that would try to get me to realize 'we were perfect for each other.'

"You always could read me like a book, as I you. I know that…"

"Deep in your heart you have feelings for me." I finished again, rolling my eyes in a bored fashion. "Seriously François, you need to get some new material, because that got old after the first time you said it."

"For you, anything."

"Oh for Honesty's sake!" I exploded, my tolerance for his idiocy finally snapping "Would you shut up about how much you 'love me?' It's a fine time for you to decide that you want to love me forever, especially after the fact that I locked my heart away, lowing to ne'er love again after what you did to me!"

His eyes widened, and I felt a tear spring to my eyes. I bit my lip looking away, cursing my stupid anger…I always said more than I intended when I got into a rage like that, and now look what I did…I admitted that I still longed for the days at the opera house when the François I had fallen in love with courted me and everything felt right.

As if François had read my mind, he said softly "I can make it all go back to the way it was…I promise…"

In his eyes was the one thing that always made my heart melt…and I didn't even have a name for it…Love? Adoration? Promise? Whatever it was, made my mind seem to wipe clean like a blackboard, and only smudges of coherent thoughts were left.

"I'll even find a way to get you back to the Opera House…" he said, and I hung on his every words. He was promising my old life back, the way I had wanted it to turn out…with me living happily ever after with someone who loved me wholly, and I could live in my dream world and see all of my friends…

A smile formed at my lips, and I glanced over away from François, ready to smile at anyone…and saw Ethan watching us silently, leaning on the doorframe, and my stomach twisted inside me.

I turned back to François and I knew that he knew who I looked at, but kept the anger that was flaring in his eyes in check.

"And yet you still remain infatuated with that pansy…" he said coldly, and I opened my mouth to say something, but he kept talking "I offer to win back the time in your life when you were happiest, and yet you still fawn after him," he jerked his head backward in the direction of Ethan "who can offer you nothing that you truly want."

His words rang in my ears, and I said nothing, my heart beating with odd little jerks as though one of its legs had been wounded and it had to drag it along.

"Fleur, Paris is dull and gray without you…every moment there without you is like the cruelest torture any man can hope to endure…and I don't want to have to endure it any longer, darling, I need you there with me…without you I'm nothing but an empty shell." He said, his voice softening as he noticed my eyes were brimming.

"I love you…and I need you with me…" he said, and I wiped my eyes, ducking my head down.

My brain felt like it was on overload, and my emotions were beyond that…I knew deep…really deep…down François was bad, and that I should stay away, but…oh how I wanted to go back to when everything was new and it wasn't so complex! Back when the only things I had to worry about was getting my Pas de Bourrée up to Madame Giry's approval and making sure that I had a clean dress to go out courting with François…and here…there were so many things…homework, grades, chores, student council, band, that stupid job…

And what good was staying here if I couldn't even speak English? I looked back up at François and nodded. How was I supposed to refuse such an offer?

**---------------**

**collective gasp**

**Oh no! **

**Again, I didn't proof-read, so it might be kinda funky. Any questions, just ask me. **

**Please Review and I shall update. **


	16. Venture

**I don't know about any of you guys, but I am totally in LOVE with Shawn Spencer from "Psych" on USA…but that's just me I guess…**

**Updating again!**

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I lay on my back, staring up at the ceiling, trying to figure out how, in the last day and half, my life had turned upside-down, and I was planning on committing suicide.

Sounds quite morbid, I know, but really it wasn't. Well, maybe it was looking at it with an outsider's view, but to me it wasn't, because I knew that after I died I would be in Heaven.

Or close to it.

I would be back in Paris before everything went horribly wrong, and when life was worth living. Before I had had filled in for Christine in Don Juan Triumphant, but after I had met François at the masquerade.

My mind had been made up, and I knew which world I truly belonged in. Not here in the time where the pizza guy got to your house faster than the police, but when anything at all could happen. Dreams came true and you really did meet your Prince Charming and lived happily ever after.

Which is exactly what I was going to do.

The plan was all worked out in my head, I was going to sneak downstairs, find a knife (what is it with me and Clair's Gram's knives?) and commit the traditional throat slit.

Quick, easy, and to the point; although the same can't say the same about cleanliness, sadly. If there was an easier way that didn't involve so much mess I'd gladly have opted for it, not wanting to bother Clair any more than necessary, but hey, what can you do?

The most difficult part of this whole operation would be my ankle. It would obviously be hard to get over my friends and then downstairs without making a huge fuss that would pretty much reveal my plans, but I was going to have to try.

I sat up slowly, drawing the musty and faded old quilt from around my shoulders, and got up to my knees, surveying the pattern of the bodies around me.

Clair was on my left and Abby to my right, Brad next to Abby (even though they didn't know it they were such a cute would-be couple) Aaron next to Clair, Christi over by the half wall that overlooked the downstairs, and Ethan to her right, my left. Kurt by him, and then Kelee, Jenny and Zach sprawled out between them.

I rose to my feet, raising the blanket and biting down hard on it as I set down my gimp foot. Tears sprang into my eyes, but I blinked them back, dropping the quilt and taking the first step toward my perfect future…

I drug my left foot after me, and used all the willpower I possessed to keep myself from yelling.

The next step…I passed Abby, who was snuggled up next to Brad. I smiled and tried to imagine what François and I would look like.

Another…Brad was so sweet…I almost wished I could see the look on their faces when Clair and the rest of them woke them up with their giggles and taunts.

Yet again stepping, splintering pain shooting up my body and making me with I had a sedative to get me through this.

I grasped the railing and started down the stairs, creeping as quietly as I could…treading lightly and not crying out when I moved my ankle.

Slowly but surely I got to the bottom of the stairs, with a light sheen of sweat on my forehead that was wiped as I descended the last step.

But I dared pause for only a moment, for morning was only two hours away…

Of course, problems in my previously efficient plan began to spring up as I painfully pattered to the kitchen…

Suicide was a sin, and therefore I could go straight to hell…but it couldn't be that bad…unless the Bible was suddenly changed.

A dead weight settled on my shoulders, and an iron grip was around my chest making my breathing come with difficulty…for sure I would be sent straight to the Seventh level of Hell…

Father Daniel's sermon about the levels of Hell came back to me, and his description of the seventh circle sounded even though no one was speaking…

"Guarded by the Minotaur, who snarls in fury, and encircled within the river Phlegethon, filled with boiling blood, is the Seventh Level of Hell. The violent, the assassins, the tyrants, and the war-mongers lament their pitiless mischiefs in the river, while centaurs armed with bows and arrows shoot those who try to escape their punishment.

"The stench here is overpowering. This level is also home to the wood of the suicides- stunted and gnarled trees with twisting branches and poisoned fruit. At the time of final judgment, their bodies will hang from their branches.

"In those branches the Harpies, foul birdlike creatures with human faces, make their nests. Beyond the wood is scorching sand where those who committed violence against God and nature are showered with flakes of fire that rain down against their naked bodies. Blasphemers and sodomites writhe in pain, their tongues more loosed to lamentation, and out of their eyes gushes forth their woe. Usurers, who followed neither nature nor art, also share company in the Seventh Level."

I felt sick and keeled over, expecting to taste vomit, but instead the tears that ran to my lips.

I didn't want to go to Hell…even if it was only Purgatory or Limbo, and certainly not the Seventh Level…oh God…how was I supposed to live with myself knowing that after I finally died I would be descending to pain and suffering until final judgment, but even after that day I would remain forever there with no relief?

Cold swept over me, and chills racked my body, my shoulders shaking incessantly. I wanted away from here…but I didn't want Hell…but I just couldn't stay here, I couldn't…and I'd already made it down so far, and going back up would kill me anyway, what with the blinding hurt from every waking step.

I wanted to fall on the ground and lie there until God made the decision for me, but I couldn't. I had to make the choice for myself.

Damnation for all eternity, or living the happiest that I possibly could for as long as my body allows me and _then_ Damnation.

I straightened; a reassuring thought put into my mind.

If I was going to wind up in Hell…then I was going to enjoy what little time I had on this Earth in the best period I could imagine, with a man who loved me completely and literally living in a story book.

I held my head high with my bottom lip bit in more with each step as I walked toward the kitchen to meet with the love of my life…François.

"François…" I whispered, startling him from sleep.

"Fleur, you came." He said affectionately, and I smiled.

"How could I not?"

"I feared that you would be kept away by your ankle." He said, and I simply bent and kissed him softly.

"Nothing could keep me from you." I said, and started to untie him.

**-------------------------**

…

**Umm…yeah. **

**No proofreading and some serious Brain Damage on behalf of Katey. **

**Please review! **


	17. Have A Good Kiss?

**And more utter insanity of Katey's behalf. **

**--------------**

I hurriedly un-bound him from the chair, and he stood up, pulling me up with him. He pulled me into a tight hug and kissed me.

Only…there wasn't that sizzle…or maybe the pain of my ankle was just driving that out of my mind, but that didn't matter, because I was finally here and everything was right.

"Fleur, now what is you plan to get out of this God-forsaken time?" he asked, drawing me away from him.

"Simple; a nice clean throat slit." I said with a smile.

"Very simple;" he agreed "you know where the knives are, then?"

"The drawer behind you to the left." I said, recalling from memory where they were.

He reached behind him to pull out the drawer and pull out one of the steak knives that hadn't been used in who knows how long.

I reached out to take it from him, but he held it back.

"Well?" I asked politely, but as soon as the words were out of my mouth his arm lashed out, and struck me with the back of his hand.

I stumbled backward, finally knocked to my senses.

What the _hell_ had I been thinking for the past two hours?

"Oh, Lovely, François…I say to get some new material and you come up with a new plot to kill me." I said, steadying myself with one hand on the sink edge.

"Back to yourself again? Pity, you would have been so easy to manipulate if you were that little idiotic scrap of your true character."

"Pity you aren't dead." I retorted "But of course, I could totally change that if you'd prefer back in Hell where you belong."

"Nah, I'd much rather stay up here where there's so many more people to torture."

"Well aren't you just the sweetest thing under the sun?" I said sarcastically.

"If I didn't know myself then yes, I could consider myself into that category…after all, I charmed you again, didn't I?" he asked, and I felt a bubble of anger swell inside me, but I kept it in check.

"Lucky shot. It was my fault, really." I admitted carelessly.

"Ah, so you _were_ pining for me." He said, and I rolled my eyes.

"Always thing with your ego first; no, it wasn't 'you' I missed, I've had enough of you to last for a thousand lifetimes, it was Paris that I missed."

"And I seemed to be the only one that could take you there."

"'Seemed' is the key word there, pal." I corrected, and he shrugged.

"So, Fleur, which would be the preferred way to go? Throat slit like I had, wrists sliced, or a stab in the stomach?" He asked, and I leaned comfortably against the counter, my arms crossed as though I was seriously considering the options.

"Option D; I somehow manage in the nick of time to turn the blade around and kill you. What say you?"

"I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with that." He said, and I frowned.

"Oh pooh, I always wanted to outsmart you and wind up actually killing you." I said, and he smiled.

"Shame that's just a wish, love."

"Yeah, but don't people who're going to die get one last wish?" I asked, stalling him.

"What, like going to Disney Land?" he mused, raising and eyebrow.

"Yeah, my last wish is to kill you, and you actually die! Now how cool would that be?" I said excitedly, and he laughed aloud.

"Nay, my good lady." He said formally, bowing a little "I'm disinclined to acquiesce your request."

"Ah, been watching Pirates of the Caribbean lately?" I asked, smiling with remembrance when Barbossa had said those very words to me.

"Nah, I just thought that sounded good."

"Well do I at least get to go to Disney Land I mean, I _am_ the one who's dying…again. So actually, if I add up all the times I've died and not gotten a last wish…that would be like, four, including this one."

"Shame you won't be getting one…not unless you beg."

Oh boy, the old I'll-let-you-live-if-you-beg-but-wait-no-let's-just-have-you-die-for-the-fun-of-it bit.

"Oh come on, beg? Puh-leeze. This is Katey 'Fleur Delacour' Douglas speaking. I don't beg unless it involves getting money from my parents to go to the mall."

"Shame." He said simply, and thrust the knife toward me.

I ducked from my spot against the counter and backed around the table, hopefully going to pull off the crazy fake out thing you always see in the movies.

Only, unlike in the movies, his arm reach was enough to go over the small table.

I backed up, but tripped over the chair that he had previously occupied before I untied him like the brain dead retard I am.

I backed up on the ground, the way the people always do in moves (what is it with me and movies? I need to get a life…okay…needed) before they were killed off by the psycho that was stalking toward them.

I.e.: my current scenario, even though I vowed while watching one of them, I believe during the Scary Movie Marathon presented by Clair, that if a mad killer was after me and I fell backward, that I would get my butt up off the floor and run.

Well maybe I should just go back on that vow, because this was a little different, seeing as it would be a little hard for me to run when I had a freaking _broken ankle_.

"And now, you are completely under my control." He mocked, his grip on the knife slack as he walked closer to me.

Damn…wall behind me…I knew I should have backed up in the direction of the door, not the wall.

"Lovely technique…so how are you going to escape this time, or are you just going to blubber and cry because I'm not who you thought I was like last time?"

"Oh shut up you bastard. I was only thirteen, and you had given me my first kiss. Of course I would have thought I was in love!" I spat, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Ah, true loves first kiss, how sweet." He said, not making it sound sweet at all.

"It was your fault, might I remind you. You're the one who kissed me at midnight." I said, remembering the Masquerade.

"Ah, but you're the one who permitted a man whom you had just met kiss you." He retorted.

I remained silent for a second.

"You still started it." I said, running out of things to say.

"Ah, now we sound like siblings." He said, and I realized that we sounded like Christi and her younger brother when they argued. "Now come, even though be both know you must die, let's at least meet each other face to face like civilized people."

"What, you mean civilized like me?" I said tauntingly, but he ignored it, pulling me to my feet, and then doing something unexpected.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into him, stooping his neck to reach my mouth, kissing me exactly as we had at the Masquerade.

Shame I still didn't feel the same tingles and total lose-yourself-in-his-arms reaction.

I started to pull away, but his body seemed to fall onto me, pushing me back against the wall. I slid my arms off of his shoulders, and he crumbled to the floor.

I stared at him open mouthed. What, were my lips poisonous now?

"Katey…"

I looked up from the limp body of François to see Ethan standing before me, and gave him a curious look, seeing as he possessed no 'weapon.'

"Pressure points; given enough force, they can kill you instantly. I'm surprised you didn't remember that from science."

I smiled, but mentally scolded myself for not thinking of that.

"So…" he said slowly, looking down at François "Have a good kiss?"

My cheeks flamed red. I guess he noticed…

I opened my mouth to explain, but he shook his head. "Don't bother. One: I won't be able to understand you, and two: it's perfectly all right for you to be in love with the guy that had tried to kill you."

I knew he was trying to make light of the situation, but behind it I had the feeling that he really meant it.

I guiltily looked back down at François who seemed quite dead, or if not dead, unconscious.

Why hadn't I shoved him off sooner? I mean, the dude was probably about to stab me in the back, but I hadn't done anything but wrap my arms around his neck and pull him closer.

Yeah, smooth. That's _exactly _what you want to do to the guy who ruined your life and was about to kill you: wrap your arms around his neck and kiss him back.

"Katey, come on, you'd better get back to bed." He said, helping lift me over François.

I silently put my arm around his shoulder as he put his arm around my waist, and allowed myself to be helped out of the kitchen.

I wanted to say something…but I didn't know what, and I didn't know how I could get it across to him what I meant even if I did find something, but just as I was pondering this, he stopped suddenly.

"Katey," he asked tentatively, "You didn't really…want…to kiss him, right?"

I shook my head vigorously. Like hell I did.

"Good." He said, and he faced me, wrapping his arms around me, and kissed me.

Even though the room had been dark, it now seemed to be full of bright light and sparks, and I felt that weird dizzy thing, as though Ethan was the only thing that would be able to keep me from falling down dead from the electric current that flowed between us.

His lips had been soft at first, but the kiss had deepened, and he pressed his against mine fiercer, as if he couldn't get enough of me. My stomach was a mass of butterflies and jitters, and it was all I could do to stop my self from going any further.

After what could have easily been an eternity he pulled away, and the first think that came out of my mouth was "I think that one completely ousted Christine and Raoul's kiss on the rooftop."

Ethan smiled and kissed me again. "I guess you can speak English again."

I paused for a moment, and then realization sank in.

"Ohmigosh! You're right! I am! Oh thank God! Do know how annoying it is to talk and no one understands you?"

"Coming from you it must be, seeing as you never shut up." He said jokingly, and I smiled, leaning my head against his chest.

I guess I wasn't sleeping next to Clair and Abby again…

**---------------------**

**Awwww! What a sweet ending! And no, I didn't mean anything 'dirty' so don't _even_ go there. **

**And I'm not saying this is the end…I think I might want to write about the month before the Wedding that is sure to come in another story. **

**That'll be fun! **

**Please leave lots of reviews! **

**Epilogue is the next chapter, by the way… **


	18. Epilogue

**Epilogue! **

**Woot! **

**It is now…five years later…**

**--------------------**

You know, I guess it's a good thing that François hadn't killed me that one night, because then I would have missed out on everything that made life worth living for, including actually _legally_ drinking a margarita.

Yeah, my twenty-first birthday party had been a blast, but, unlike some people I have the displeasure of knowing, _I_ didn't get wasted. (CoughAARON, ZACH, and KURT cough.)

Go figure.

But most especially the thing I would have missed out on was love.

Awwww, yeah, I know, it sounds sappy and corny, but hey, it just so happens to be the truth because…drum roll please…

Ethan and I are getting married!

I know, I was totally shocked when he asked me because I mean, I kind of thought that he would, but it was totally at the most random moment.

Okay, now you're kind of curious, I just know it, and no, old English teacher, I'm not putting the words into their minds, because I can just FEEL that they're curious as to how I didn't expect it because I am a girl, so therefore I should totally KNOW when a dude is going to purpose! Take that.

Actually looking back in retrospect I should have totally expected it because it was blaringly obvious, but whatever.

So we had been in California for an A's game along with the whole gang, and we were you know, sitting there in between innings when they announce on the scoreboard birthdays and what businesses where there and of course…purposes.

Un-beknownce to me of course, my father and Ethan had already had the talk about if it was cool to marry me, and my father was the one to suggest to Ethan how to ask the question.

Anyway, so I was just laughing about something with Clair when all of a sudden she let out a scream (obviously she wasn't in on the thing) and started pointing at the board.

"Ohmigod! Katey!" She said, and I looked, and I just sat there open mouthed while I tried to digest what had just happened.

"Say something!" She whispered, and I saw Ethan down on one knee in the little isle in front of me with a little velvet box open, with a ring peeking out.

"Well?"

My natural instinct would have been to say "no, I totally don't want to marry the guy I love to death." But you know, there are just certain times you don't use sarcasm.

"Yes!" I breathed, and he took the ring out and slipped it on my finger, where it's stayed for the year long engagement.

And now, with only a month to go, I'm terribly nervous, especially after the dream I had last night.

**---------------**

**Very short, but to the point. **

**Please be very kind and review! **

**And I didn't proof-read it, unlike my last two chapters. **


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